Flash of Robin
by DarkIslander01
Summary: Post-2011 Pre-2016. KFxRobin. RobinxOC. It's been three years since the team got together. Each of them have grown, especially Richard Grayson. Young Robin begins to learn about love, life, and more importantly himself, as he goes through his life as Dick and Robin. A crush on his best friend, and the appearance of a Mysterious Thief might change everything...
1. Mysterious Meeting

A/N: So I've been getting really random ideas for stories lately...weird. MY favorite DC character will always be Richard John Grayson, so in the new show Young Justice, I was ecstatic. I realized that there wasn't a lot of stories for this section, I decided what the heck. Forgive me for how I portray my characters as this is three years after the end of the episode for New Years, and then three years before 2016, in other words our characters have changed somewhat in their manners. This story will be my version of how some of the newer members were admitted onto the team, as well as Robin's transformation into Nightwing and his struggle over love and his sexuality. So, bear with me, I don't see myself as an expert writer, but I'll try my best to try to entertain you. With that! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do not own Young Justice.

* * *

"Robin, we need you to hack into the security systems to give us a layout of the building." Aqualad said next to me. I went through my holocomp and quickly hacked into the system of the building. It was being attacked by what seemed like an army, but was only done by one man.

"Their system is so underwhelming." I commented, their firewalls coming down in seconds. Over the past three years, I've gotten better with hacking into the databases of high-intel clients.

"Dude, I thought we stopped with this 'whelm' thing?!" Kid Flash rolled his eyes, and I blushed quietly not responding to his comment. I can't believe how things have changed in the past three years. Luckily though Kaldur interrupted our usual banter, as well as my train of thought.

"Kid, we must focus at the task at hand." Kaldur ordered, and quickly Kid's demeanor changed as we all took a look at the holocomp. "Megann, take Superboy and density shift the two of you into the vault, so when he cracks it open a surprise will be waiting." The two of them just nodded, their relationship was still a little rocky after their break-up, but they agreed that the team always came first. "Artemis and I shall come in from the top, taking the enemy from behind while Robin and Kid will come in for reinforcements." But something inside me told me that this might end badly.

I thought of his plan and found a couple of flaws that could have gone wrong. I can tell that our thief wasn't any other villain, he was smart. By the damage that was done, he didn't just break into things through explosions, instead he used tools and gadgets. "Kaldur, I want to point out, that there is a possibility that if he has explosives the attack would kill Miss M because of the heat. If you look, the guy might have placed explosives here, here, and here" Pointing to three different structural points that could cause the place to collapse. "I suggest Kid, Artemis, and Miss M see if any explosives need to be disarmed first, while the three of us come in through the roof access, since the main room is one the second to last floor, we can sneak in. The rest of the team can always join us when the rest of it is clear."

"Yes, I see. Everyone got that?" Aqualad said, a little shaky since his plan was flawed. He has been leading this team for three years, but for the past year we've all been taking dangerous risks. Either the wrong person is sent in, or a plan just isn't thinking about the next three steps. I think that Aqualad is becoming a little overwhelmed as Aquagirl, Beast Boy, and the Batgirl joined the team. Especially Aquagirl, he never intended Tula to join the team, but at Queen Mara and Aquaman's urging to further her training it seemed that he was focusing mostly at keeping her safe rather than leading.

We all nodded and headed into the fray of the battle. Kid Flash, Artemis, and Miss M took to the low ground as they entered the building from the main entrance, the three of us then took to the rooftops leaping from nearby buildings to reach the target destination. Batgirl would have useful in lockpicking the rooftop door, but instead Superboy punched the door in. "Classy Superboy." I rolled my eyes. He just glared at me before the three of us entered the building. The security already disarmed by our phantom thief.

We reached the floor and could see trip wires set up on the doorway, quickly I struck my arms out stopping my two following teammates. "Wait." I snapped one of the wires on the floor and a pillar of fire rose out of the floor. This was something the company set up, it was too neatly done to be set up by a thief that got here less than an hour ago. "There are traps everywhere through the doors, this isn't just a normal company guys." I explained.

"Who cares." He punched the wall, breaking through. "We just need to avoid the doorways than, and any other traps waiting for us. Let's just go."

"His temper still hasn't simmered down it seems." Kaldur commented as we followed him through, bursting through walls.

"He is completely overwhelmed, it's not a good vibe from him." I retorted as Superboy busted the final wall. "Good job, now the sense of surprise is completely ruined."

"Let us go." Kaldur said, as the two of them charged in at our target, I decided to take my perch in the shadows of this gigantic auditorium, while the other two blew their cover completely. These two were just way too stressed with things.

I watched the man dressed as some kind of Casanova from the Victorian era, dressed in Blue and gold high end clothes, and a hat with a pure white feather sticking out from the top of it, and a cape came trailing down his immediately tried to attack the thief, without so much as a word. "Oh, it seems the team is finally here." He turned around with a mask covering his eyes. "Greetings to you too Superboy." He patted the back of an enraged Superboy, before jumping back seeing a fist flyinf his way.

"Who are you and why are you breaking into this vault?" Aqualad asked.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I was attempting to hack into the vault to get some information about a client that he has hidden in there." He gestured toward the two ton lead door that was the vault. "But, now it seems I am going to have to use explosives now, I truly dislike explosives, they tend to make a mess of things, and people unwillingly get caught in the crossfire."

Aqualad made his move as he charged at the foe with his water blades drawn. "I can't allow you to break into any vault, it is my duty to stop thieves like you." Aqualad as he swiped towards the new foe. The masked thief brought out a cane to block the oncoming blows, as Superboy charged at him again. Once more jumping out of the way before a hit could be laid.

"Besides you haven't even told us your name." I shouted, throwing my voice so that I was still hidden.

"That must be the infamous Boy Wonder." He just smiled, and tossed a card right in my direction. Jumping from my perch now that the cover was blown I looked back to see the card sticking out from the wall, it was bladed. "Where are my manners that haven't introduced myself. Lumos the Thief." He took off his hat, revealing dirty blonde hair, and bowed respectfully towards the three of us who were now lined up in a row. An arrow was sent in the thief's direction and he quickly jumped out of the way, no doubt the rest of the team arrived.

"Dude, he's like straight from one of those book things! You know?!" Wally commented as he took his place next to me.

"Their called Casanovas Wally, womanizers who tricked woman into bed with them just to get laid." I retorted.

"Oh, so kind of like me eh?" He just quirked his eyebrows at me, making me roll my eyes.

"Who would ever sleep with you would be out of their minds." Artemis chirped in as we all took our place to face this new threat.

"Then should we lock you up in Arkham, Beautiful?" Wally winked towards Artemis, making her blush profusely and send an arrow towards him. I felt my blood boil a bit, but returned at the task at hand.

"Guys, though we love to hear that the two of you are happily in love, not the time." Miss M said, jealousy evident in her voice. It was funny, cause that would be something I would say, but she has more the right since Superboy just broke up with her.

Evidently, previous person mentioned decided to go on a rampage again, as he tried to overpower the agile thief who quickly blocked his attacks easily as Aqualad came in from behind. I quickly saw some kind of light build in the jewel of the cane as he smacked Superboy and Aqualad back against the wall. Both of them shocked by the amount of power was put into that. I saw him press the jewel on his cane and the vault door fell apart at its hinges. I threw four batarangs in his direction which he quickly deflected with his cards. Jumping into the vault he knew exactly what he needed, pulling out files from a drawer he just smiled.

"Are you seriously arguing right now?!" I looked at Miss M, Kid, and Artemis who were in a heated discussion about the proper etiquette for a mission. "We are kind of being overwhelmed again."

"Dude, that whelmed thing is going to soooo get on my nerves." Wally said, putting on his goggles.

"Maneuver thirty two the three of you." I called out as I threw one of my Bolas, my thrown snare. It wrapped around Lumos's torso trapping him from moving. I saw the blur known as Kid Flash as he began to create a tornado sending our opponent into the air as all of us grabbed onto something to prevent being sucked into Wally's whirlwind. Miss M density shifted into the whirlwind to pull those files from the thief, and as soon as she was out and shifted to the roof, Artemis quickly shot a fire arrow into the whirlwind at the same time as Superman hitting sprinkler system activating them. Making the fire arrow and the oxygen in the tornado to violently explode. Aqualad kept the five of us alive by shelling us in the water from the sprinklers.

"That seemed to be a little much." Kaldur said as we went to inspect the body.

"I thought it was pretty cool, man things exploding are just awesome." Wally said.

"What is with boys and things exploding?" Miss M said as she floated down next to Artemis.

"Girl, you learn that sometimes boys won't ever make sense, no matter if they are a kryptonian, a speedster, or an Atlantean." Artemis offered that explanation making the "boys" to roll their eyes. We reached the spot where the body landed and found only his cape, which proceeded to explode, all of us being tossed to the other side of the room. Quickly I got up and saw Lumos's cape flying towards the roof. As my teammates were currently recovering I ran after him.

He stood on the roof waiting for me. "Boy Wonder." He bowed, "I must say, it has been an honor doing battle with the team. But since my way out hasn't come yet, how about a little sparring?" He smiled throwing his hat, cape, and cane on the floor. He charged at me, and we exchanged blows. He was skilled a skilled wielder of Martial Arts, and we kept pace evenly, but with one slip-up of my footing I lost the advantage and was on the floor. He leaned down and was incredibly close to me, his mask inches from mine. "You know, I've always found you cute Robin." He smiled at me, and I couldn't help the blush that crept onto my skin. "Heh, even your ears turn pink when you blush." Making me blush further, but I was still Robin at heart, and threw him off my body. With a few batarangs he just barely escaped injury as a few cuts caught him on his arms and legs.

"Why did you want those files Lumos." I asked as we both got into fighting stances.

"These files?" He pulled out the files that were supposed to be with Miss M. "You'll soon find out that the files she took was nothing but a decoy. These files are to incriminate a Star Lab employee who wanted to steal technology from a certain Barry Allen and wants to recreate the accident that gave powers to The Flash." He tossed them at my feet, I picked them up and sure enough it is as he said.

I looked at him baffled. "Why did you plant a decoy if you were going to end up giving me these files?" I asked him, overwhelmed by the situation.

"Because, I wanted to see the power of the Young Justice as you guys go by. Besides that, you should read the decoy files, quite an interesting read if you ask me." He said, picking up his items. "See you later little birdie." He laughed before jumping off the building, and I looked over the edge to see where he was, but there was no sight of him anywhere.

Looking through the files again, I realized that this is enough incriminating information to get a whole section of Star Lab shut down over negligent use of equipment. I waited as the rest of the team reached the rooftop, each of them still feeling the affects of being thrown against the wall. "This is what he was after, Miss M let me see the files you took from Lumos."

"Is everything ok Robin?" She looked at me curiously, "I can sense that you are feeling a little distressed from what happened."

"Yeah, thanks Miss M." I smiled at her, and just held out my hand for the files. All of us have matured over the past three years as a team. Miss Martian's bubbly attitude and naive way of looking at things have become more...earth bound if you know what I mean. Kid Flash and Artemis have matured but still act the same way they usually do, Artemis the bad girl, and Kid Flash as a goofy, lazy, pain in my ass. Kaldur has always been mature enough, and Superboy...well Superboy has gotten better control on his emotions, but Rage still caught up to him sometimes.

"Whoa, these files are all about Uncle Barry!" Wally flipped through the folder Kaldur was reading moments ago. "They wanted to recreate the experiment that gave him his powers?"

"This is...troublesome." Kaldur recited his worries. "If this were to fall into enemy hands, then no one would have found out about this." He said coming to stand next to me. "I'm surprised you were able to get ahold of them after he deliberately left a decoy to throw us off his trail Robin."

I shook my head, "That's the thing though, he gave these to me, and then told me to read these files as well." I held up the ones Miss M gave me.

"He gave them to you? What kind of Thief gives the good guys the files he was stealing?" Artemis took the file from my hands and began to read through it. "Whoa, this all information about him."

"Who?" I asked.

"Lumos, his previous data, a look into his abilities, and previous jobs he went to do and information about them. He even wrote himself a little resume." She laughed holding up a paper showing information.

"Why would anyone be stupid enough to leave their credentials to the enemy?" Superboy said, leaning against the building.

"Hello Megan!" We all turned to her, "He wants to give us a heads up. I was reading through the files before the place blew, and found this." She held up a piece of paper that had an address, time, and date on it. "I forgot about it till now."

"Dude! I'm still trying to comprehend this information! Why would anyone want to recreate the Flash? I mean yeah he is kind of totally awesome and what not, but still. This is huge! I know Uncle Barry has been having issues with his employees but I never knew it was this bad" Wally mentioned to us all, "Total Score." He picked up a card that held Lumos's face on it. "Souvenir."

"You have a serious case of ADHD you know that KF?" I laughed going back to our familiar banter.

"What?! ADHD?! Just think faster than most people, besides not all of us can have the Bats as a mentor to train us in detective work." Wally responded.

"Whatever KF, you are just too overwhelmed." I said punching his arm slightly.

"Duuuude! Again, I thought we moved passed this 'whelmed' thing?!" I couldn't help but burst out laughing at this comment. Honestly, I was starting to realize more and more about Kid Flash, and it worried me. Especially, after dreaming about him in a certain kind of dream that so 'turbed me, I couldn't look at him for a week.

"Kid. Robin. We have to report back to HQ for debriefing." Kaldur reminded us where we were. The two of us nodded as the Bioship came to pick us up.

* * *

_The next day..._

"Hey! Richardson, wait up!" I heard my name being called out as I walked through the halls of Gotham Academy. Stopping, I turned around to see one of the new students, he came in at the start of this year as Junior like me, running to catch up.

"Evan, how many times have I told you to call me Dick?" I sighed as I quirked an eyebrow at him. "What's up though?"

"I wanted to see if you got the assignment for Calculus, I couldn't figure out one of the problems and was wondering if you could help me?" He asked nervously, whenever he was nervous he tend to run his hand through his dirty blonde hair.

"Sure, let's go to the library though. It's your free period as well right?" He nodded, "All right, I'll help you." I shrugged as the two of us headed down the halls.

Gotham Academy where the rich and the privileged attended school. The massive academy looked more like a mansion with a courtyard, gardens, and even a stable attached to the school. Each room was equipped with the latest technology, and they say that everyone that attended here ended up getting into the college of their dreams. The best opportunity possible.

I just wanted to get out.

We passed a couple of football players that got into the school because of their brute strength rather than their intelligence and one of them shoved me hard in the arm. Being Robin, I would have taken them out, but as Richard Grayson, I lost my balance and let my folders fall to the floor.

"Crap..." I sighed and began to pick up the paper that was scattering the floor. I looked and saw another person helping me collect my papers. "Thanks Evan." I smiled at him.

"No problem buddy." He returned the grin as we continued down the hallway. I hated being the weak little boy that got picked on, but what was I supposed to do? I have been forbidden by Batman to show my true strength.

Being the son of Bruce Wayne though came with a few cons though. You weren't even sure who was your friend because you were you, or if because you were the son of Bruce Wayne. I only had three friends at this school, who I knew quite well at this point. Diane Danger, who was Artemis from the team. Barbara Gordon, a long time friend who took up the mantle of Batgirl. And finally, Bette Kane, the previous Batgirl who trained with Batwoman but is now Flamebird. The four of us all shared the same secret, and each of us knew how to deal with each other.

"Hey Dick?" I snapped out of my reverie as I looked around realizing we were already at the library. "Where do you wanna sit?" I looked around and saw Barbara sitting at an empty table by herself. We headed for her table.

"Hey Barbara, mind if we join you?" I asked her as we approached.

"No, that's fine." She said not even looking up. She saw who was joining her and she froze, I knew she had a crush on Evan and couldn't help but smirk. "Oh, h-hey Evan." She said.

"Hello Barbara." Evan smiled as he took a seat next to me. "What are you working on?"

"Just Biology, trying to fill out this chart about the differences in Flora and Fauna." She smiled at him, and I rolled my eyes as she was attempting to charm him.

"Oh, yeah I remember that. Had to take that last semester, actually..." He dug into his backpack and pulled out a folder. "Here, it's all my notes and what not from that class. That chart should be under the 'C' tab for charts." She was taken back a little at the gesture and just smiled again at him.

"Thanks! This will help so much, my class starts in less than thirty minutes." She said, quickly pulling the chart out.

"Hey, I thought I had dibs on your folder?!" I asked him.

"You can get it afterwards, besides why would the genius like you cheat?" He teased me, nudging my arm.

"Well, you better keep me happy because this genius is helping your ass in Calc." I retorted, falling into a rhythm.

"Fine fine, get it from Barbara when she's done. Can we just start this stupid math homework?" I heard him sigh and just smirked at his reaction. I began to discuss with him the application of rate of change before getting into the actual work, and it wasn't until he was leaning in next to me as he watched me work out the problem that I was completely aware of him.

He was about my height, and lean and muscular, definitely worked out on the weekends. As he leaned in more, I could smell the hint of fresh rain coming off of him, and I felt myself grow uncomfortable at the close proximity, as a blush rose in my cheeks. He took a side glance at me and I stared into his hazel eyes. "You know, sometimes I forget you are a year younger than me sometimes." He smiled, and that was about all I could take.

I pushed my chair away and quickly said, "I'm going to the restroom, try to figure out the problem now." I rushed out the library in a daze and entered the restroom. Now that I could breath clean air, instead of that intoxicating scent of lavender and rain, I washed my face.

"Come on Boy Wonder. Focus, he is just a guy!" I said after making sure I was alone. "You've taken down monstrosities much scarier than some random guy from high school. Just focus on tutoring him for the next twenty minutes and get out before he can mess with your head!" I kept telling myself. There was no way I was attracted to guys, I was Richard John Grayson, adopted son to the playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne.

I went back into the library and saw him sitting with a smile on his face as he looked at a message on his phone, and got up from his chair, and rushed out. "Where are you going?" I asked him as he passed by me.

"Emergency again, gotta go! I did the problem by the way!" He called handing me a piece of paper before rushing out the double doors. I just gave a sigh before looking at the paper he handed me. The problem was perfectly done, with no erase marks or anything, I glared at the problem and began to wonder why he asked me for help if he knew how to do it.

I headed to my next class and told the teacher that Evan had another emergency he had to take care of. Apparently, his mother has been in the hospital for awhile now, and he is the only one able to take care of him and his little sister so he is constantly in and out of school, yet his grades haven't fallen once.

Thirty minutes into my class an extremely familiar face interrupted the lecture, making everyone stand on their feet. It was Bruce Wayne. "I'm so sorry Mr. Tran, I know you don't like it when people interrupt your class." I sniggered as Bruce played the part of Bruce Wayne, "But I needed to pick up Richard for something important." He sent one of his award winning smiles at the teacher, and I swore I heard the girls swoon.

"Not a problem sir." Mr. Tran said in his thick accent. "Richard, you may go. Remember the homework assignment." He reminded me as I gathered my belongings and walked out the door.

"Why did you pull me out of class?" I asked Bruce as soon as we were in the nearly deserted school.

"Emergency. Artemis, Batgirl and Kid Flash will be meeting with us in my office in Wayne Tech." Bruce said, as I undid the tie I was forced to wear in this school uniform. "It's about your encounter last night with Lumos, it seems he is going to strike again." This perked my attention as we left the school grounds and proceeded into a car driven by Alfred.

"You read the files he gave me?" I asked as I began to change out of my uniform and into Robin. "I was looking it over and he was going to attack a Dagget industry warehouse on the harbor today." I just saw him nod.

"That's why I'm sending you four in. You are in charge of this mission Robin." Bruce said. "It seems our thief Lumos isn't a normal thief. But I'll tell you all about it at Wayne Tech."

"Why are we heading for Wayne Tech?" He just gave me a look that told me not to ask questions. "Got it, need to know basis. Did I ever tell you that you are so overwhelmed."

"Dick." Was all he said and I rolled my eyes quickly shutting my mouth. Ok, joking with Batman might not be the smartest thing to do, but it seems like I'm the only one to get away with it. Besides The Flash of course, his corny jokes always made me laugh and Bruce to just look annoyed. At least he didn't kill him.

Alfred pulled us into an empty alleyway and the two of us grappled to the top where we climbed our way into Bruce Wayne's office. Sitting there was Batgirl, Artemis, and Kid Flash. "Love the office Bats, totally cool!" Kid Flash commented. Batman just ignored him.

"Why were we taken out of class, I was in a very important math test here." Artemis said, annoyed.

"Apparently there was a break in at Dagget Industries." Batgirl said as she approached the center of the room, a hologram of a building already on display. I just gave her a questioning look. "My dad still makes sure I'm in the know Robin, duh."

"What is he trying to find?" Artemis said looking at the building. "It's just a bunch of useless junk in here, scrap from previous experiments and what not by the looks of things."

"That's what I want you four to find out." Batman said. "There shouldn't be anything that might make a thief break-in, but he seems to think otherwise." He pressed a few buttons and the buildings schematics were replaced by a digitized version of the folder the team found yesterday. "This is the information he gave us." A mugshot of him was the first thing that appeared, quickly to be replaced by information, "It says that he can control the energy within different objects to 'do his bidding'. His specialty is controlled the elements, but by what we have seen he is proficient in technology." Batman went on. "He can create illusions and uses a cane as his main weapon."

"I remember, he charged his cane to attack with more force than he should have possessed." I mentioned.

"That was his energy build up, being able to store and release energy into any shape of form, in that case kinetic." Batman moved onto a video of Lumos hacking into the security of Wayne Industries.

"How do we fight someone like that then? I had him in a tornado and he still managed to get away!" Kid Flash said.

"I don't want you to fight him, this is a recon mission. I want you to tail him to see who is it he is working for, and what he thinks he is going to find in one of Wayne Techs buildings." Batman informed us. "Robin will be leading this mission."

"Of course Boy Wonder," Artemis joked, "Who else would lead a recon mission?" She looked at Wally.

"Hey, what are you implying beautiful?" Wally said coming next to Artemis.

"Can we please skip the lovers spat and move onto the mission." Barbara said as she hopped off of the desk. "I'm guessing Robin and I will be infiltrating the building as Artemis and Wally wait outside for trailing?" Batgirl suggested.

"No, Kid will stick with me, and you and Artemis will be outside." I said as I downloaded the data from the computer. "Artemis and you can tail him without being noticed better than Wally's speed, besides if I need a quick get away, Wally has my back." I looked over at Wally who just nodded in my direction.

"You just don't think I can handle myself." Barbara assumed, and stalked off by herself. I just sighed as Wally and Artemis followed her.

Batman's hand was on my shoulder, "You are doing fine Robin. Just relax." His fatherly voice was coming into play.

"Yeah yeah yeah, just got to remember that Barbara is new to this whole superhero deal." I looked at him, I was growing and eventually I'd be as tall as him I snickered. "She's good though, I'll give her that." I said as I chased after them.

We reached the harbor within minutes and I established a comm link between Team Alpha, Wally and I, and then Team Beta, Artemis and Batgirl. "Beta, can you read me?" I checked as we neared Dagget Industries warehouse.

"Loud and clear Alpha." I heard Batgirl report in.

"I have the perimeter in check, no one goes in or out without us knowing." Artemis radioed in.

"Good, hopefully this mission won't involve any confrontation." I said and looked over at Wally who was eyeing me closely. "Check out the lower levels and see if there is any damages done."

"You got it dude." He sent me one of his famous smiles before taking off in a run, and in a flash, he was back. "No one seemed to be in the building. By what it seems he used a fake fire alarm to clear the building before breaking in." He reported.

"All right then, follow me." I said as I climbed up the stairs. I began to hack into the security system and found a video feed of Lumos strutting through the corridor. "It's Cadmus all over again..." I stopped and turned to Wally. "There are secret floors below this building. Kid, it's Cadmus all over again."

"What?! No way! I thought we put a stop to all of that nonsense, besides the Bats wouldn't let something like this go unnoticed in Gotham."

"I know, but that's the only thing to explain this." I said showing him the picture of the corridor, it looked similar to the one we saved Superboy from almost four years ago. Immediately I contacted Artemis and Batgirl. "Beta, contact Batman and send him this feed." I said sending Batgirl the images of what was happening below the warehouse. "Tell him that this is similar to the Cadmus incident. Wait!" I said, as we all watched the camera. Lumos was looking up at the camera, and I saw him smile. He saluted to the camera and took out a pen and paper from his coat and held up a sign.

I'll be on sub-level seven.

The note burst into flames as he ran through the corridors. "You got that Batgirl?"

"Yeah, Artemis and I are already heading towards Wayne Towers." She informed me. "Stay alive Robin." Was all she said before the comm link died.

"We are on our own now." I said as we walked down the corridor.

We traveled along the corridor, both of us keeping silent in case anyone was around, but by the looks of it, it was deserted. "Rob, do you think that they could be holding Speedy here...?" KF asked nervously.

"It's a definite possibility." I confirmed, "Let's just focus on Lumos now."

"This guy Lumos doesn't seem like a bad dude." Kid observed, "HE could have killed us a long time ago, so I mean he can't be all bad."

"That is my thoughts exactly, he led us here for a reason. He gave us information about himself, and he made it clear that he wasn't trying to harm us." I said thoughtful as we approached the elevator, the door already wide open for us to scale down to sub-level 7.

"Awww, that's sweet of him to leave the door open for us." Kid flashed a smile and I rolled my eyes at him. "Can I get a lift?" He asked extending his arms toward me, and I wasn't sure if it was because of the red warning light or what, but I could have sworn I saw a small blush on his cheeks.

I wrapped him in a hug and shot one of my grappling hooks up as we slid down to sub-level seven. The door once again open for us. "Wow, it's eerily like Cadmus." We both shuttered at the orbs of red liquid that were along the corridor. It was like we were in the stomach of some great monster, as the walls seemed to be the lining of some kind of esophagus. "Totally grossed out right now."

"This way." I said running down the hallway, knowing Kid was following. I could see the small marks of energy left behind.

"We really going to blindly trust this guy?" Kid asked as we ran.

"Weren't you the one who was just saying he might not be a bad guy?"

"I said might, not that he wasn't! He did blow a bomb at us after all!" Kid said, "Though it was his calling card." He laughed at his own joke.

"The Flash is soooo rubbing off on you KF." I joined his laughter. "Ser-" I was interrupted by a hand that shot out of nowhere and brought us into a small enclosure in the wall.. It was Lumos. He held his finger to his lips as a signal to stay quiet.

We heard the thud of creatures twice the size of an elephant, it looked like a dog that had been experimented too many times, as its snout was just a flat nose, with raging eyes, we all waited for ten of them to pass us. "Hmmm. didn't know they experimented on animals this floor."Lumos finally said once the thud stopped. He turned to me. "Glad you could join me Kid Flash, Boy Wonder." He smiled.

"What exactly are we joining you for?" I asked, suspicious of his motives.

"Don't look at me that way, I know about your adventures in Cadmus, where you found Superboy." He took a peek into the hallway. "That lab was used mostly for cloning and experimentation on chemicals. There are many different kinds of labs like these, and I still don't know where they come from. But this one, this one they experiment on the genetics of a host." I could tell by the way he gripped his staff that this was an emotional tie with him somehow.

"So, we are here, you want us to destroy it?" Kid butted in, "Because we could have gotten the League to just come in and do that for us."

He shook his head. "I believe your friend Speedy is here on floor seven. I have been here before, and saw a boy I recognized as Red Arrow in a frozen tank. I believe they are planning on doing experiments on him before releasing him back into the care of the League." We were both taken back by this.

"So that means..." I began,

"There is an actual chance..." Kid added.

"That we can actually get Speedy back!" We both shouted, immediately Lumos covered our mouths. Lumos nodded.

"Yes, I think I've located his chamber, but the problem with it is I couldn't get in there myself." He said. "They are using a magical barrier that regenerates itself as soon as I try to drain it's energy, but I can keep it open enough for a person or two to slip past. Reason I wanted to lure you here." He explained himself.

"Why help us though? We haven't done anything for you." Kid said what I was thinking.

Lumos smiled softly, "Just think of it as a favor returned ok?" He looked up at us, "Get in, grab Speedy, get out." The three of us nodded. "Come on." He said as we followed Lumos and his blue cape.

It was odd, I felt like I knew Lumos from somewhere before, but just couldn't place it. I looked at Kid Flash and I could see he was focused on getting Speedy out of here. We turned a corner and could see this is what he was talking about. We entered into a giant antechamber that held a domed steel container that reached the ceiling. The dome container looked impenetrable and I wouldn't be surprised if Superboy couldn't even dent it. Surrounding the dome was some kind of charged, physical barrier made out of some kind of magic.

"It's a telepathic shield, it prevents any physical or magical attacks on the dome, but I found a way to stop it, and then make it so no one, not even I will be able to break through." He handed his hat to Kid Flash, who immediately put it on.

"Heh, how do I look?" He said said acting like Lumos.

"Like an idiot, as always." I teased him.

"Hey, not all of us can pull it off." He shrugged.

"Guys, take the hat, and put it in the middle of the chamber. Rip out the feather and it should blow a hole through the ceiling taking you to Sub level five if my calculation is correct, then get out. The shield only works one way, things can get out, but nothing can get in."

"Sounds like a stupid shield." Kid commented. "Shouldn't it want to keep things in as well."

"They can just release monstrosities without having to drop the shield causing something unwanted to get in." I explained to him. "A breach in security isn't as important as practicality."

"Right." He said as he extended both of his hands. Two flames roared to life in his hands, and eventually we could see the red and orange flames quickly turn lighter and lighter turning into purple, then blue, then a bright sky blue. "Also, if you find a small girl in there with Silver hair and a yellow bow in her hair, take her out of here as well ok?" He said, the two of us nodded. "Make sure she's taken care of." And I could see a tear run down his cheek as he shoved both of his hands into the shield. We heard a hissing sound as the flames fused itself with the barrier and then it shattered.

Kid Flash picked me up and the two of us ran through the barrier before it could reform itself. When it did we were on one side, and Lumos was on the other. We both watched as Lumos staggered to the floor, picking up his cane he got back up, collecting himself. "Go!" He said turning around. That was when an alarm sounded, and I quickly hacked into the system of the dome, preventing any emergency shut down protocol and opened the doors.

"Kid! Hurry!" I called out as I ran through the door, my firewall couldn't keep them out and the doors shut just as Kid's feet made it through the door. Inside were thousands and thousands of containers filled with humans, aliens, and gruesome mixture of the two life forms.

"Ugh, this gives me the creeps." Kid said as he held himself. "I'm going to look for our two captives." And he was off searching row after row. I ended up going into the middle of the chamber and looking at a computer. Quickly I began to hack and download whatever files that they could give us.

The term Project Genesis kept coming up though, and knew that this could not be good. After a few moments I heard Kid call out. "I found them!" He said bringing back the body of a little girl still in a red and white dress that she must have been wearing, the yellow bow still was keeping her hair in a ponytail. Speedy on the other hand looked horrible, his right hand was cut, and it was covered in a bandage. "Speedy doesn't look so well." He commented at it, "His pod said 'incompatible, prepare for termination' I am afraid of what they did to him Rob." He looked at Speedy worried, it seemed like he was still that fifteen year old boy from long ago when we first met.

"What about the girl's chamber?" I asked him as I inspected both of them. There was definitely a pulse.

"All it said was 'experiment, successful.', I was too afraid to ask what that meant and brought them here." He laughed nervously. The whole place shuttered as an explosion could be heard outside. "We should get out of here Rob! This whole place might collapse!"

"I know, but we can't let Lumos die." I said squeezing the little girl's hand. "After what he did for us, we have to go back." Kid looked me in the eyes and I could tell he was worried about me. "One of us have to get these two out of here."

"You are not going back out there!" He forbade me, "For who? Just a random guy we were just fighting not even a day ago?! Come on Robin." He tried to convince me.

"You know that as superheroes we have to be willing to die for the protection of others." I said taking the hat off his head and placing it on the computer. I pulled the white feather and watched as a beam of light broke through the ceiling. I sent a grip line to the top of the hole and handed it to Kid Flash. "One of us have to." I said.

"Boy Wonder, trying to play the big hero. You know Batman would kill you if you died for this." Kid Flash said, tears were in his eyes. We both knew that this could be suicide. From Cadmus we saw the hordes of creatures that were after us, and even then we were overwhelmed. Now, we might not even make it back to the service.

"Good thing I don't have to face him then?" I snickered at him, but still this didn't abate his worry. "Wally..." Was all I said.

I knew that the moment was growing, and time was running out, but I watched as Kid Flash reached for my mask and pulled it off of me. Blue eyes met Green ones, and I felt vulnerable then. "Wally...I need to tell you that...I need you to know...that if I don't make it..." I broke eye contact again and wanted to take one more glance at those green eyes. I needed him to know that I've been in love with him for the past two years.

"Dick." He said, and I looked up to meet his eyes, but instead I felt his lips touch mine, forceful, eager, for this contact. I felt him hold my waist being taller than I was as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Our bodies were pressed into each other and a trembling broke our concentration. "I know..." Was all he said. "Please, let's go..." He begged once more.

"Duty first remember?" I quoted Batman, giving him a big grin, before putting my mask back on and with one final glance at Wally, I ran towards the doors to meet whatever outcome.

* * *

A/N: So I think I got it...I don't know. I hope you, the reader, enjoyed my tale, and don't worry it shall continue to grow as a story. I mean why wouldn't it?! So many questions left unanswered. Though, this would be a pretty good one-shot...hmm. Haha, but please Review! I always love reading everyone's comments! Later! :)


	2. Time of Healing

A/N: Hey everyone! Just in a couple of days I could update! I didn't realize my ipad can actually let me write, and it took me a bit to get used to it all. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, more of the explanation of Lumos and everything about him, though I am keeping his past and secret identity in secret for now. We shall see how my head progresses haha.

Reviews: **Reining3-**You shall see that there is going to be Robin/OC first, but I'm gradually letting it grow. Wally is going to have to overcome his relationship and come to terms with who he is before I want Robin and him to get together. But you shall see how that builds, because Wally's usual talkative mouth isn't as...active.

**Bodyinthegarden-**Your screename is a little unnerving, just saying. But thank you, I'm glad you liked it, I am trying to build characters and just kind of writing on the whim, so it's nice to know my thoughts are being written well.

**Mixxi-**The reader's have asked, and it shall be done. It is going to be a good story I think, with my new characters, and how I'm progressively getting Robin to the point of becoming Nightwing. I must say though, it would still been a pretty interesting one-shot xD.

**Drake Strike-**Well...that's disheartening. I'm sorry I got that mixed up, if you go look now I changed it so it was actually contigent with the comics now, though they did change some of the character pasts to fit the show. (Beast Boy's story, never joined the Doom Patrol.) But yeah I'm sorry about messing that up though, I know a lot about the Bat clan, but not much about the other DC heroes, cept Green Arrow and Green Lantern. The ONLY Robin I always forget is the second one, the one that dies...I always forget his name for some reason...oops. But I'm glad you did enjoy it.

Disclaimer: DO NOT OWN Young Justice. Done.

* * *

I couldn't look back as I hacked the doors once more to open up, there was no way that I was prepared for what I saw next. The barrier was still up, but I could see the wreckage that took place, with dents in the wall, bodies knocked out on the floor, and what seemed like scorch marks everywhere. I followed the trail of wreckage down the corridor where I could hear the shouts of people as they tried to overtake Lumos.

Running down the hallway I saw the flash of a trailing blue cape turn around a corner as creatures that were part monkey and part spider took after him. I could see cards flying behind him as he attempted to get away, but it was useless and I followed them. I began to give chase to them and called out, "Lumos!" That was when I noticed the card that was left, and diving to the left the card exploded just as the horde was above it.

When the smoke cleared, I saw Lumos, his hair was a mess, and his face was drenched in sweat. His clothes had been torn in various places, and his mask was ripping at the corners, his cane was slightly bent and there were notches in the frame indicating him blocking attacks. "Robin!" He said coming up to me. "You shouldn't be here, the plan was you and Kid Flash escaped." I could tell he was tired. "The exits are sealed, there's no way out." He said and at this point I knew he wouldn't be lying to us.

"You knew you were going to die down here didn't you?" I asked him as a few more men ran passed our hiding spot. There was a chance we would be found quickly, but I had to know what was going in through his head before we left. He just smiled at me and shrugged. "We will be okay." I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder.

He just stared at me and shook his head chuckling. "We'll see." Was all he said as he looked down the hallway. "Di-did you get Lily out?" I just nodded, and this seem to invigorate some kind of new energy within him. "I'm glad, I hope I can see her again one day." He just smiled at me.

"When you do, I'll make sure I'm with you." I said, and this caused him to laugh again.

"You are aware I'm a thief right?" He just smiled at me. "There is no hope for a creature like me." He said cryptically before rushing down the hallway, and I followed after him. Rounding a corner after the next we found the mass of their forces. I took out my bo staff, and Lumos revealed his cane. "Hey Robin, I just wanted to say. Thank you for helping me."

"Lumos, thank me when we survive this." The monstrous genome roared a blood-curdling screech, and we rushed into the mob.

I felt my staff connect with a body left and right. Sometimes, it was a hard thud that required me to turn around and knock the beetle genome a couple of times before it went down, and at other times it was a nasty suction sound that made me pull it out and use a freezing bomb to make sure it wouldn't bother anyone ever again. I had to dodge left, right, jump into the air, leap off of a body, turn around and block an incoming claw, or a hand, or whatever it was that was coming towards me. I turned to look at Lumos who was putting up an effort, and for a moment, I stopped and watched in awe at the raw power that he had. Forming fireballs in his hand and throwing them at his opponents, stunning them, or the lightning jumping from creature to creature paralyzing them, or his cane making contact with skin or shell or whatever it was, I never could get a real look at anything I was hitting. It wasn't until a claw raked it's way down my back that I was thrown out of my revelry.

I felt the heat of a fireball knocking away the creature before turning and nodding at Lumos, there would be time to heal after this fight. It seemed like we fought for hours as our bodies began to wear down with time. These...beings were ravenous, brutal, animalistic as they didn't (couldn't?) even distinguish friend from foe.

Another roar of a pained creature far away caught my attention as I looked at the ceiling, seeing Superman flying above us, knocking down opponents. A green flash of a hand grabbing some of the monsters and throwing them from our path. The sound of an exploding bomb freezing opponents nearby, and finally the path clears and the two of us let out a sigh of relieve. My knees feel like they are swept out underneath us as the Flash catches me. I feel the footsteps of others rush over. "Is he ok?!" I look up to see Miss M, Artemis, Wally, and Batgirl staring down at me.

"Black Canary! We need help here, Robin is losing a lot of blood over here!" The view of everyone's faces began to blur, and the light started to become narrow, and I knew that the darkness was about to befall me...

However many days passed...

"He's finally waking up!" I heard someone say. I could hear the screeching of chairs as people approached me. I opened my eyes and regretted it immediately, just groaning as I tried to see who was crowding around my bed.

"Robin, are you okay?" I heard someone asking me, and felt someone prodding a wound that flared with pain.

"Ugh, I'm not dead you know? I can feel that..." I opened my eyes to see Batman, Batgirl, Wally, and Artemis surrounding my bed. "How long have I been out."

"Two weeks." Batman answered.

"TWO WEEKS?!" I shot up, making me grimace in pain. "Moving equals pain, got it..." I laid back down gently. "What happened?" I asked.

"After our comm link was cut off Artemis and I headed for Wayne Towers, where Batman was nowhere to be found." Batgirl shot accusing glares at Batman.

"Brainiac was attempting another hack of the League systems, to counteract this The Flash and I had to reboot the entire system with a new firewall." Batman explained, and I could tell by his voice that he hasn't been sleeping well for awhile, most likely worried about me.

"So we headed for Mount Justice, where we hoped a league member would be there to help us. That is where we found Black Canary in a sparring match with Miss Martian." Batgirl was looking at me worriedly now. "We showed her the video, and she immediately contacted the league uploading the video to everyone."

"After we heard, Superboy, Kaldur, and I told them we were coming no matter what they said." Miss M said proudly, and then sadly smiled at me, "We wanted to make sure you and Wally were ok." I just smiled back at her.

"Those who were able to help made their way to Gotham." Batgirl finished as Artemis picked up the story.

"That was when we ran into Wally who was carrying two bodies with him." I looked over at him, but he was busying himself with a thread hanging off of the blanket covering me. "Red Tornado and Kaldur took the bodies back to be inspected, it was...shocking to see Speedy like that..." A distant tone in her voice.

"Are they ok? Lily and Roy?" I asked, and each of them nodded.

"Speedy is still in a coma, and we don't know what they did to him." Batgirl said. "We scanned him for any kind of virus or change, but he seems to be in healthy condition."

"Lily has been living at Mount Justice with me and Conner. She is really quite sweet to everyone, and everyone seems to love her as she has a very bright attitude to what happened, but she won't talk about anything that happened to her." Miss M looked down, "She looks like she is looking for someone, and I catch her looking at the doors every couple of minutes."

"So we invaded Dagget industries and found you practically unconscious." Artemis finished.

"How bad were the injuries?" I asked.

"Two broken ribs, lacerations in various locations that could have injured the bone, a bruised spinal cord, and a concussion" Batman stated these facts, I looked around and realized I was in the medical room of Mount Justice.

"Nothing that'll kill me, sounds pretty successful." I watched as Batman's lips twitched trying not to smile. "Umm...what happened to Lumos?" Wally looked at me curiously as soon as I asked this, and immediately his eyes glared at me.

"He...wanted me to give you this." Artemis handed me a playing card with a face of Lumos on it. "He then told me to tell you 'That a thief must always leave before the resolution.'" and before anyone could catch up to him, he left. "Honestly, with the injuries he sustained I wouldn't be surprised if he was dead." Batgirl nudged her, to tell her to shut up.

"I see..." I said looking away, I wanted to see him again...at least to tell him that we actually survived. "What about school?"

"Important event took you abroad, they told me that your homework will be sent through e-mail and online tests are available when you are free." Artemis informed me, I groaned again, not looking forward to that workload.

"It's funny, Evan hasn't been in class either." Batgirl mentioned. "He just came back yesterday saying his mom just got stabilized after being transferred hospitals. He asked about you."

"I hope you gave a good reason" I sniggered.

There was a knock on the door and Kaldur walked in with a girl with silver hair trailing behind. "I am glad to see you well my friend."

"Thanks, I'm glad I'm alive as well" I laughed. I looked at the girl trailing behind him and just raied my hand, "Hello Lily." She just beamed at me. She couldn't be any older than thirteen years old.

"I'm glad to see you are awake." She said, "You...you have my brothers scent on you." Her face scrunched up and looked at me. "Do you know where he is?" I just shook my head and she shrugged. "Thank you for rescuing me, so I want to return the favor." she said. We watched her pull back the curtain where Speedy laid, his arm still amputated and his breathing a little hitched. She placed both her hands on his stomach and we all watched glued to her as her hands began to glow with an Earthly glow as a black sludge seeped out of his stomach. The light disintegrated the sludge, and as soon as it was all gone the light entered his body. We could all see the light trailing into his veins as they made their way to his arm where we watched baffled as the arm began to grow back into place like nothing happened to it. With a sigh Lily opened her eyes and removed her hands before turning and smiling at us. "I'm glad I can help." she said before fainting. Wally caught her before she hit the floor.

"What did she do?!" Batgirl asked, and we were all at a lost for words as Batman and Kaldur inspected Speedy.

"There is nothing magical about his arm. Only trace amounts of energy still in his system." Kaldur said as he touched the new arm.

"His vitals seemed to have improved as well." Batman looked at Lily who was now resting in the bed next to Speedy. "I'm not sure if this is a gift that she was born with, or something Cadmus put into her. I'll have to do research." He said before walking towards the door. "Robin, I'm glad you are ok." He said before the door shut behind him.

"Yes, we all have a mission with Aquagirl. We must go as well." Kaldur said as they all moved towards the door. I watched Wally who still hasn't said a word to me.

"You haven't said anything all day, is your motor mouth broken or something?" Artemis asked the question I was thinking.

"What?! Me?! Pft, you would be so much more upset if my mouth couldn't work anymore." He laughed before bending down to give her a kiss. My blood was boiling.

"You might be right about that one." She laughed before the door shut behind them. I felt the weariness of the wounds and pain killers enter my system and it smoldered the anger of betrayal from Wally. Though, I should have expected that the kiss between the two of us meant nothing, no matter what happened, he was with Artemis, his girlfriend of two years. Why would I think things would change? I felt the drugs kicking in and soon, it didn't matter. I was out like a light.

I woke up later that night finding I had company. "You know, for a secret base, I find myself a little underwhelmed by the security." a familiar voice said. I looked up to find the masked casanova staring at me in his new clothes. "Ah, it seems I have waken the sleeping beauty."

"Great, now I'm going to have to redo the whole security system." I chuckled.

"May I suggest lasers in one of the air vents. Lasers, are always a good idea to warn about intrusions."

"I'll look into it." I rolled my eyes. "Why are you here? You are aware if anyone catches you, that you'll be killed!"

"Obviously I'm here for you." He said as he sat on my bed. I blushed a little bit as he just smiled softly at me. "Thank you Robin. Truly, I might not be here if you didn't help me."

"Told you, that you could thank me after we made it out." I teased him. "I'm also guessing that Lily is your sister as well."

He smirked and walked over to her bed where he bent over and kissed her forehead. "Yes," he sat back down on my bed. "She is the only family I have left, and I'm glad she was able to thank you properly." He motioned towards Speedy, "He should be awake in the next day or so. The rest of the parasite needs to leave his body naturally."

"It's a parasite that was in him? Why didn't it show up on the scan? And what exactly did your sister do?" I asked, it was a little forward of me, but there were too many questions that needed to be said.

"Yes it was a parasite. It didn't show in a scan because it isn't something that lives in the body but in the genetics of the host." He explained, and I knew it was something far worse than we could expect. "The parasite goes and rewrites genetic sequences. It could enhance a feature, destroy the host, or create the things we fought. For most failed experiments, they turn into those things, and that was when it was done on animals. The effects on a human...I can only fathom." He shuddered, and so did I. "As for the last question, Lily and I both control Navitas, or Energy. This is the source of where all magic comes from. Atlanteans have an affinity to the energy of the water, reason why Aqualad and Aquagirl can use the mystic arts. Zatanna on the other hand accesses the energy through the use of words. Ancient spells that can manipulate the space and energy to bring things to them or manipulation of objects." He used the water in a cup next to my bed and started to make the liquid dance through the air. "Lily and I can control the raw energy without the use of words or magic, we have been infused with pure energy basically. While some may believe we are all powerful, it changed us..." he trailed off and looked at me.

"There are two basis for Navitas, cosmic energy that is found in everything in our world, it runs deep within the earth and floats through the air. It is everywhere in space and is known as cosmic power. Then, there is the energy that runs through the veins of every person, that is restored through nourishments of our body, and is used in our daily routines. It's called Spiritual Navitas. It can heal us, or change us, this is ultimately what gives many of the Superheroes their abilities." He grabbed my hand, and I could feel the warmth in his fingers as our hands intertwined themselves. I blushed making him chuckle. "I can even transfer energy to you, allowing you to heal." And as he said this I could feel the warmth running up my arm. "Lily has an affinity for the spiritual aspect of the energy. She can portray the energy outside of her body as a shield, or create an illusion over herself. She uses her own energy to do so, and I've even watched her bring a small bird back to life." I felt the warmth spread through my body. "She used most of her energy healing your friend, eradicating the parasite, restoring his genetic code, and then healing his arm." He looked worried. "Reason why she fainted, and will be passed out for a bit as her body replenishes her energy."

"Can you do the same thing as her?" I asked as he was deep in thought. He unwound his fingers from mine, and I had to cover the pout that was about to cross my lips.

"I only have a small amount of control over my spiritual side." He laughed as he stood up. "I am affiliated with the cosmic powers of the universe and manipulate the world around me." He created a ball of flames out of nowhere, and quickly it was changed into water, before reforming itself as a feather, and then one of his playing cards. "I can control space itself if I wanted to, this card isn't something I can make out of nowhere, I just manipulated the space between my jacket and the air beside me by bending the space between the two points to pull it out of air." He explained. I knew a basic rule of magic was there was no way to just create things out of nowhere.

"Then how do you create the fireballs, lightning, and everything else?" I was still confused about what made Lumos tick.

"Oh, I can turn energy into its purest form of energy. Lightning and fire is just energy in it's tangible form.. With the water, I collect the moisture in the air, trust me it's everywhere." He shrugged.

"I still have so many questions." I admitted making him laugh again. "So how were you able to knock Superboy to the wall? Make things explode? And, how did you get out of our trap during our first encounter?"

"Boy Wonder, I thought you could have figured them out yourself." He attacked my pride as a detective.

"Ok, well Batman said you stored energy in your cane and turned it into Kinetic energy." He just nodded, smiling, and waved me on to continue. "If what you tell me is true, then this energy seems like a double sided sword. If there is too much of it, then it'll cause the object to be unstable and eventually explode."

"Right, since it can't move and become active like us, it explodes since it can't work off the excess energy like we do." He clarified.

"The trap we made when Wally made the tornado, you just counteracted the air, and created a bubble for yourself, and with an illusion you made it seem like you were hurt." I concluded and he just nodded.

"It was more than that." A voice said from the shadows and we both jumped. "The illusion was a manipulation of light. You aren't as comfortable with the spiritual aspect, so you did the best you could do. It looked like you were hit by the tornado but you were actually a few feet away. With a little trick of the light you allowed the folders to be suspended in the air while Miss Martian came to take the folder, she was too focused to see the trickery." Batman came out of the shadows.

"Hmm, it seems like I have overstayed my welcome." Lumos said as he began to walk away. Batman threw a Bolas to entrap him. "You know, I'm just a tad insulted that you think this would capture me." Lumos said as it immediately melted from his touch.

"Batman don't hurt him." I pleaded, and I knew he was giving me a questioning look under his cowl.

"I don't intend to hurt you Lumos. I just have a few questions." Batman said.

"I know what you are going to ask, and I left another folder underneath the bed. It has all the information I could get out of the second Cadmus incident." Batman reached underneath, and sure enough a folder was produced. "Is that all?" Lumos said. Batman just nodded before Lumos bowed in thanks and walked out of the door. "See you later Boy Wonder." He waved before the door closed on him.

"How long were you standing there?" I asked, my face flushing from what transpired.

"Long enough." Was all he said. I saw him press a button and the door locked itself as Batman removed his cowl to reveal the handsome face of Bruce Wayne.

"Dick, you know what you did was dangerous correct?" He sighed. Now that he wasn't Batman, I could see the worry and the dark circles beneath his eyes. "If you waited for the League, I wouldn't be having this discussion with you."

"Bruce, do you really expect me to always wait for someone else to do the work of a Hero? I thought I've proved to you long ago that I was capable of handling things on my own." I retorted back.

"That's not what I was saying Dick." He just let out another sigh, I don't think he has experience as a father talking to a teenage son. "I thought I have taught you to calculate the risks and anticipate the dangers of a mission, and with that you make a call if it is safe enough for you to be able to make it back. Alive." He said.

"You did." I nodded agreeing with him.

"Then what did you think while letting Kid Flash leave by himself." He asked me, and I felt myself pause, because I really didn't know why I was going back. I just did, but that wouldn't be a good enough reason for Bruce Wayne.

"I thought that KF would be able to reach safety quicker without having to wait for me. If I could by them enough time there was a higher chance of success of saving the hostages." I explained to him, but his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"And the percentage of survival rate would have been what?"

"Roughly around nine to twelve percent." I just shrugged.

"You didn't think that was low enough to get yourself out and to safety?" He just asked plainly and blunt just as he was.

"No." I just shook my head and looked over at the other two beds, both Speedy and Lily laid there, breathing softly and evenly. "I thought Superman taught us that sometimes risks are necessary for the safety of others, I thought it was our jobs as heroes to help people no matter what the cost."

"You aren't indestructible like Superman." He bit back, and I flinched. "Unlike the league. we don't have these abilities to prevent death. We feel every pain, every hit, and every sharp object that pierces us. If we get stuck in a dangerous situation we can't run out of there like The Flash, or break our way through like Black Canary."

"That didn't stop you before did it? Before the league, before I came along, I know the things you did. The risks you took. Alfred has told me how he was unsure of you ever coming home again." I spat back at him and he just placed his head in his hands.

"Yes." He said, "I know. But, I'm telling you that...as a father, I don't want to have to bury you. I've buried too many of my family members Richard." He looked at me, and again that pain in those eyes made me feel guilty.

"I'm sorry." I said looking at my hands. "We've come out of tougher situations."

"You sure you didn't make the decision out of your emotions?" He asked me, and when I looked at him it was like he was accusing me of something wrong.

"No. It was just about the mission." I answered him. He got up from his seat and kissed my forehead before putting on the cowl. It was one of those moments where Bruce Wayne and Batman weren't anything more than a caring father. He then headed for the door after saying, "Just guard yourself against both the physical and the emotional Robin." And with that he was gone.

For the next two days I was in the infirmary. Miss Martian, Beast Boy, Batgirl, and Superboy came to keep me company whenever they weren't at school or had team business to get to. The only person that I really wanted to talk to though never even showed up, and when I asked about Wally they all said he had duties to do with The Flash. It was on the second day that Lily began to wake up from her sleep just as I was getting ready to leave the infirmary. I heard a yawn and looked to find Lily up in bed, "Oh, how long was I out?" She asked hopping off her bed.

"Two days. You were sleeping like a baby." I smiled at her as she came next to me and sat in the same place her brother sat two days prior.

"My brother was here, I can feel his energy." She said, her hands trailing the spot where he last sat.

"You're not worried about him?" I asked, surprised she wasn't complaining. If Beast Boy didn't get his way, he'd whine and complain. It was kind of cute in a little brother sort of way.

She beamed at me and shook her head. "Course not! He has his reasons for not being here, and...I know how much he must have gone through to find me. I'm just glad he is safe." Was all she said before hopping off and going over to Speedy. "He'll be awake within the next couple of hours since you are so curious."

I quirked an eyebrow, "And how do you know I am so curious?"

"You have been worried about him for awhile, in your sleep you kept saying people's names and he was one of them." She said and came skipping back to me. "I'm going to be staying here for awhile huh?"

"You are a strange girl." I commented.

"You know before we were taken, people told me that a lot." She just looked at me forlorn. "My brother used to be the only one to take care of me besides my mom."

"Well you are here now, and I'll take care of you." I said as she just smiled at me.

"Thank you Robin." She said as the door opened revealing both Aqualad and Batgirl.

"I am glad to see you up and well friend." Kaldur said. I was already about to get up from sitting on my bed, dressed in my civilian clothes as Robin, my utility belt clasp securely.

"It's been completely boring ever since our last mission." She commented, "Finally we can train together again, you still haven't taught me that quadruple sumersault." Barbara commented as she eagerly flipped to my side.

Lily seemed to melt behind me as I got up, "Yeah yeah yeah, can't a super hero get a little break after nearly being killed?" I asked.

"Course not, occupational hazard." Batgirl returned. "Besides, Bru-I mean Batman wants us to bring Lily and you for some questions regarding our masked thief."

"Oh joy." I sighed. "Are you ok enough to be asked some questions?" I asked Lily, who just nodded, and with that we walked outside and down the hallway.

We entered the living room where the rest of the team was gathered, and as soon as I entered Miss M was by my side with a tray of cookies. "Robin! It's great seeing you up and walking again. Here I made these cookies for you." She held up cookies in the shape of my face. "Thought the occasion would be nice."

"Thanks Miss M." I took one of her cookies and took a bite. I must say, they have been progressively getting better. "Best batch you've made."I complimented taking two more before walking over to the couch. I could see she was quite pleased with herself.

"Ah, so bored. Finally your up Robin, no one else will play Find the Weasel with me." He said, immediately turning into a small weasel and looking at me.

"Not right now Beast Boy, we are here because Batman wanted to see us." I explained, and he immediately turned back into his human form. I couldn't blame the kid for wanting to play though, he was only like ten.

"It is good to see you Robin." Tula greeted me in the formal Atlantean way. I waved her off reminding her where she was. "Oh, right, I'm still trying to get used to the informalities of the surface." She just smiled at me.

"It's all right Aquagirl. You should have seen Kaldur when I first met him, tried to give him a high five and he immediately started attacking me." I just laughed as she turned towards Kaldur and gave a small giggle.

"That was many years ago." Was all he said.

"And yet, we still can't get you to give us a high five." Artemis just shook her head.

"At least it's not as bad as Superboy. He tackled me." I shuddered. "Almost broke my back in the process." I looked at my teammate Superboy who flinched.

"Sorry about that Robin." He said, oh he was definitely becoming whelmed with this new life. Actually apologizing.

"Again guys, I'm not looking for condolences or pity." I laughed causing Superboy to smile a little.

"What's wrong with you Wally, you have been surprisingly quiet. Aren't you going to mess with your best friend who just got the ok from bed rest?" Artemis nudged his boyfriend in the stomach.

"Yeah, of course, Rob-" He was cut off by Batman walking into the room alongside someone we all recognized by this point.

"How are we today?" Lumos bowed to us all, and sent me a quick smile.

"Brother!" Lily cried out bounding her way into his outstretched arms. She was about my height when I was thirteen, but still Lumos picked her up in a big hug. "I'm glad nothing bad happened to you." She sobbed, and we could all tell she was crying.

"Of course not Lil." We all averted our eyes as we let them have that private moment. There was a pain in Lumos's voice that none of us could even fathom. "I'm glad you're safe. They didn't hurt you too badly did they?" She let the thirteen year old down as he straightened her hair down. She shook her head and just grinned.

"Of course I put up a fight." She stuck her chest out proudly.

"That's my girl." He said before turning towards Batman. "Sorry sir."

"Many of you are wondering what exactly this man is doing here in Mount Justice." Batman began.

"Don't tell me that you are going to let some petty thief onto the team." Artemis said, as she glared at Lumos. She still blamed him for almost getting Wally and I killed, I know it. But my heart just seemed to beat fast at the possibility of working alongside him.

"Ah, wouldn't you like that Archer." Lumos just japed at her.

"Both of you stop." Batman interrupted whatever Artemis was going to say. "I called Lumos in here today because He has the right to the information we found in this second Cadmus." Lily and Lumos just sat down at an empty counter where he placed his hat down. I could tell people were a little wary of him being there.

"Besides, Robin still hasn't put in those lasers yet." He teased me. I pulled out a Batarang and threw it at him, which he quickly deflected with his own card. I saw Batman was watching us and quickly let the comment go to let him continue.

"They are, similar to the first Cadmus, 52 sub-levels of the building. It ran on energy generated by the ocean currents, allowing it to be off the grids so neither I nor anyone else could have tracked it down." He displayed the information on the television screen. "After a thorough investigation a d thanks to notes acquired by Lumos, we were able to get an idea about the building's purpose." A picture of DNA came onto the screen. "Genetic Researching."

"What's does this have to do with what we found there?" Superboy asked, this information must be more crucial for him than anyone else. It could explain why he didn't have all of Superman's powers.

"As the first Cadmus dealt with cloning and chemical effects on life to find a way to create the ultimate being, this Cadmus served a different purpose." We watched as the DNA strand was invaded by what looked like black nanobots. "They wanted to tap into the Human DNA to create super beings. But through this process, they learned ways to mutate creatures to become those genomes we fought before." Pictures of the different creatures appeared on the screen. "Project Genesis was one of their major projects." A classified file was shown on the screen. "Thanks to Robin we now understand why there have been a recent attack on many of the superheroes of the Justice League."

We all recounted the past few months reports of Superheroes disappearing and a few days later reappearing in their beds as if they were there all that time. It was something Wonder Woman, Hawkwoman, and Matrian Manhunter have been investigating. "They've been collecting data on all of us, and Genesis was to be the epitome of this collective data. But we still don't know to what extent they were going to use this data."

We all waited for more, but after a few moments of thought Batman was finished. "Project Genesis is what they called me." Lily spoke up after. Everyone turned to her.

"What do you mean?" Batman asked, incredibly interested.

"Everyone that was in that dome, they were all test experiments." She brought her hand to grab Lumos hat and put it on her head smiling. "Each of us were tested on compatibility with different strands of a virus they inserted into our bloodstream. Those of us that passed moved on to the next test." She played with the feather on the hat. "They then placed parasites into us to see how well our systems could cope with the brutality of something invasive, after that no one but me seemed to be compatible and called me Project Genesis. That was when everyone rescued me." She said as she tried to take Lumos mask off his face.

"So they didn't get to finish their project?" Batman asked. Lily just shook her head.

"So wait, if you are infected with viruses, then shouldn't you be in like, quarantine or something?" Wally said, and I just raised my eyebrow at him. He didn't even look at me.

"I'm not infected, my body wiped it away alongside the parasite." She just shrugged.

"Was Speedy part of these tests?" Kaldur asked the same question both Wally and I were thinking.

"He made it to the parasites, after that they called him too unstable and froze him for more tests later." She explained, and quickly she added, "I eradicated everything in his system, he will be good as new." She saw our faces and knew she had to add more, as we all let out a sigh of relief.

"How long were you there for?" I heard Barbara ask, I knew she was worried about the girl, being so young, but all Lily did was shrug.

"I was eleven and she was seven when they took both of us. We were both experimented on, and when I escaped they took her to a new lab where I couldn't get to her. It's been six years since we were both taken, and three years since we were separated." Lumos informed us. That would make Lumos seventeen and Lily thirteen.

"Do you know about anything they were doing to you while you were held captive?" Batman was the first to ask.

"No, just forced to drink things, odd aches and pangs, I don't remember very much of it." Lumos said as he looked off at a distant past. Batman said nothing as we were all lost within our own thoughts.

"Lumos, I would like to run some tests on you and Lily before you can leave, as a deal I will make sure Lily is taken well care of." Lumos nodded as he stood up with Lily and followed Batman.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to go with you, but please be safe." Lily said before the three walked out of the room. With that everyone eventually began to drift away from the room, Superboy left to talk to Lumos about any other information he could have known about the labs, Aqualad and Aquagirl went back to Atlantis for their weekly report to Queen Mara, Batgirl and Artemis left to train, and Beast Boy followed Miss M to see if she would be willing to show him any cool new moves, leaving Wally and I alone together.

"Wally, are you going to look at me?" I inquired as he was just about to sprint out the room. "We have to talk."

He let out a deep sigh and sat back down on the couch where I sat opposite of him. "Alright I'm here Rob, what do you want me to say?"

"What else KF? I want to discuss what happened before you left with Speedy and Lily." He looked away from me, seeming to be enthralled by a piece of art in the room. "What was that back there?"

He still wouldn't look at me. "It was nothing."He said very un-wally for him. "I tried to get my best friend out before he killed himself and thought that might be the only way I could." He said looking at me. Unfortunately I knew he was going to stick to that like a stubborn mule, but his shimmering emrald eyes revealed the pain he was holding in. "I have Artemis who I am in love with! I've been with her for two years, and even that was a mission all on it's own. I am not going to screw that up." He said, very straight forward. "I'm not gay Rob, and I think you should reconsider whatever you thought happened." His words left me shocked.

I felt the rage building up in me. "Are you serious?!" I looked at him like he was crazy. "Who the hell are you?!" He just looked at the painting and didn't dare look back at me. "Fine then, if thats how you want it to be, then I'll make it easier for you." I said, and with that I left the room just as I heard Wally yelled after me.

I walked through the halls to meet Superboy, who just gave me a very confused look. "Something happened between you and Wally?" He asked me, and I knew I had to keep my emotions in check before I answered him.

"Just a little spat, no biggie." I waved it off, and knew he wasn't buying it.

"That seemed like a big arguement, like the one me and Megann would get into." He said, clenching his fists. "Those didn't seem like 'no biggie'."

"Superboy, It's all right. Wally and I aren't seeing eye to eye, it'll blow over in a bit."

"Hope you are right." He said before walking away, apparently looking for someone.

Continuing through the hallway I tried to find Batman and Lumos, eventually finding them coming out of the main chamber. Lumos was in deep thought about something as Lily just watched the two men. "I still can't agree to that. Lily knows she can't come with me and the best place for her would be here with the team."

"We are not a babysitting service." Batman said.

"I know that, but you've seen what she can do. You are aware about what Cadmus wants to do with her, take her in and protect her." He pleaded, but Batman just stared at him. "Are all bts like this, or is it just you?" He cried frustratingly.

"What's going on?" I asked coming to where they were talking.

"Lumos is asking we take in Lily and train her." Batman responded in his monotone voice.

"Why is that such a problem? If I remember, we have taken in nine year old boys whose parents were killed." I remarked, and this caused Batman to narrow his eyes, boy we haven't been getting along well.

"I am still not sure if his parents have passed away, and have no other information on his identity." Batman simply said.

"Reason why it is a secret identity." He rolled his eyes.

"If I let you go, you become a risk. We can't keep tabs on you, and there is no way we could make sure you won't sell our secrets." Batman just replied.

"What is he asking you to do?" I asked.

"Oh this has been a good argument." Lily joked, "Mr. Batman is trying to tell Brother that the only way I'll be able to stay here is if Brother joins the team." Lily just seemed to not really car at whatever outcome took place. She just seemed happy to be here, thinking about six years without so much as sunlight seemed terrifying.

"Why are you so against joining?" I asked, and he just shot me a smile that kept me on my toes.

"I haven't finished my job yet, and until I do. I can't be tied down to a team." He shrugged. "Much of life has to be done through your own hands, not the hands of many. This is one of them."

I was starting to see his point, and just looked at Batman seriously, "How about he works as a consultant to the team? He can be given a communicator, and if any information has been found or the league needs him for something, we can get into contact with him." I suggested.

Both men just looked at me, "That seems reasonable." Batman concluded.

Just as Lumos was about to retort, I shot him a look to tell him to shut it. "fine." He held out his hand, waiting for the communicator. When it was placed in his hand he bowed and kissed Lily on the forehead, "Be good." He said before running to the Zeta tube, he let a card fly towards the opening and just as it reached the mouth of the tube it flashed open and sucked Lumos in, none of us knowing where that tube took him.

"Huh, he's gotten flashier." She said as an off comment before turning to us, "Thank you Mr. Batman for allowing me a chance to stay here." She flashed him a smile. "I promise you I'll work hard."

"Now we just need to get her a name and a costume." I said, and Batman just nodded.

"I have an idea for a name!" Lily made herself known. "How about Genesis?" She threw out there. "They called me that anyway, and I think it'd fit."

"Huh, I kinda like it." I looked at Batman.

"Fine, I'll get you into the system. Robin, take her to Black Canary, she can help with costume specs." Batman ordered before he turned around to the computer. I nodded and Lily and I went to go find Black Canary, who was with Megann training her and Batgirl.

I explained what happened and she smirked, "Seems like the Bat is becoming a little soft." She playfully said before turning to Lily. "Hmm, I can work with this. She's not weak I can see, but she is very raw, and will need training before she can start going on missions." Black Canary said as each of us took notice of Lily. She had fair skin with straight silver hair. With hazelmeyes to complete the facial features, her body was strong by what we could observe, something that could be homed for the hero life.

"Can I ask a question?" Lily asked thoughtfully.

"What is it honey?" Black Canary smiled at her.

"Why do some of the non-flying superheroes have names of animals that can fly...?" We all paused before bursting into laughter. The kid had a point, Batman, Black Canary, and I couldn't fly.

"I'm going to like you." Black Canary said before leading us to the back of the mountain. Miss M and Batgirl talked avidly with Lily who replied to them quite excitedly. We reached a closet filled with old superhero gear from suits and masks, to the weaponry of some of the superheroes. Then there was a computer in the back that was meant specifically for creating superhero suits. The four of us sat th for hours trying to get a suit fit for her. It was a suit similar to the one Batgirl wore, after Lily commented that she wanted something easy to move in, mentioning how she couldn't fathom fighting in clothes like her brother does. Instead of the suit being black and purple though we all concluded that it was going to be red with with silver on the elbow pads, knee pads, shoulder blades, and then the ribs. Then where Batgirl had the bat symbol, Lily wanted a black sun with a crescent silver moon eclipsing the sun. The one thing she was completely set on though, was a hat like her brothers just in the red and silver theme. it took an hour and a half before we were done.

"The machine needs to process the data and by tomorrow we should have a uniform for you." Black Canary smiled at Lily and she returned the grin.

"Thank you again Mrs. Canary, Robin, Batgirl, Megann." She bowed respectfully towards each of us.

"Ah you are so cute." Miss M said as she came to hug the girl.

"Megan she is thirteen, stop dotting on her." Batgirl rolled her eyes.

"It's ok. I've never been so...accepted anywhere before my brother. I'm just glad to be here." Lily said, and even Batgirl had to admit she was sweet.

"Watch out Lily, you might get spoiled at this point." We laughed as we all left the backroom and made our way towards the living area. Unfortunately we interrupted a make-out session between Artemis and Wally.

"Dang, if I knew there was going to be something this disgusting, I would have stayed in a coma." I said, falling back into my usual stab at their relationship, trying to get things back to normal.

"It'd have been better for us, since then we wouldn't have to put up with you stalking us in the shadows." Artemis said right in rhythm with my taunts.

"Just being that annoying little brother, making sure nothing unholy takes place." I retorted before sitting on the couch next to them. Again, Wally said nothing to me.

"So, are you going to be staying here Lily? I didn't know we took in strays." Artemis said, which made everyone freeze. Unless Lily responded correctly, the tension between these two might grow into an all out war.

"Yeah, I mean it wouldn't be complete without a genetic experiment. Although I think Superboy might complete that criteria." Lily took a cookie and ate it thoughtfully.

"She's going to fit in perfectly here." We all mused.

"I have to go, I'm late for a meeting with my counselor." Wally announced just a few moments after I sat on the couch.

"You? You srr going to go to a school meeting?" Artemis asked, a little surprised as Wally just nodded, and zipped out of there after a kiss to his girlfriend, but when he kissed her his eyes were on me. "He's seemed a little weird for awhile..." Artemis said, her insecurities showing.

"He's just a boy Artemis, don't let it get to you." Batgirl said, flipping over the couch wndnintonth seat next to her. "They will act weird for a bit, feel guilty, and then come running to tell you."

"For someone that knows the male mind, oh so well, how goes that crush on Evan?" Batgirl turned red and aimed a batarang right at my head. Dodging it embedded itself right into the back of the couch. We all laughed before being interrupted by Kaldur.

"Roy, he has finally woken." He said, his voice still calm and measured, but all of us jumped up right away before rushing towards the medical room. Batgirl explained that she was going to contact Green Arrow before joining us, and the rest of us headed over.

When the door opened Batman was already there inquiring about Roy's health."It was like living in hell. After they cut my arm, I tried killing myself on multiple occasions. I wasn't sure what they wanted, but I refused to give them that satisfaction of killing me. I felt like that was my right alone, that's why they froze me, saying I could be more useful later." We heard Roy say as we all neared.

"Then, what happened?" Batman asked.

"The next time I woke up, I was strapped to the table, and my arm was bandaged up, I couldn't move, but they started...injecting me. It was a different laboratory now, that was clear. The faces were new, and I could see other teenagers and children getting the same treatment, some crying out in pain. Please Batman, I'm not wanting to talk about this right now."

"We need this data as soon as possible, the quicker it is done, then the quicker we can compile the data." Batman said, cold and calculating.

"Batman, how about we let him rest a little bit. He's been missing for years." I tried to sway Batman's decision.

I looked at Roy and he just stared at me in disbelief, "Robin?" He asked questioningly. "No way that scrawny kid grew up."

"Gee, at least we know your personality hasn't changed much Speedy." I couldn't help but smile.

"Where is he?!" We all heard Green Arrow ask behind the door and when it finally opened up, Green Arrow rushed in and when he finally saw his adopted son he burst into tears. I've never seen one of the Justice League members cry at any point in my life, but here Green Arrow was rushing over to Speedy and weeping tears as Speedy just held onto his adopted father. "I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything more for you Roy."

"Seems like I've lived out my useful intentions now that we have found the real Roy Harper." I turned to my right to find Red Arrow standing against the doorway. "I must admit though, seeing him the way he is. Still fifteen years old, it solidifies that there isn't anything left for me." He was about to turn around but Lily who was a foot shorter than him stopped him.

"My brother once told me that our lives are only controlled by who we want to become. It doesn't matter if you are accepted anywhere, as long as you can accept who you want to become." Lily turned Red Arrow towards her. "Just because you are a clone, doesn't mean you aren't a person." She just smiled at him and handed a card from Lumos. "My brother taught me that I am a human, and just because of what I can do doesn't make me superior or beneath people, I am just me, simply and completely me.. Just like you. You actually remind me of him a little bit." She just cocked her head to the side and smiled again.

At this point Red Arrow looked at the card and just nodded at Lily before turning and walking away from us. We all just watched his back as he walked away, none of us sure when we would see this Roy Harper ever again. I stood next to Batman, "Bruce, let this go. He will tell us on his own time." I to,d Batman. He just simply walked out of the room without a word.

After Green Arrow was done crying, he excused himself to collect himself for a bit, and I just saw a small smile cross Roy's lips before he left. He turned to all of us. "Who are all of you?" Artemis, Batgirl, And Miss M just smiled softly.

"These are our teammates. Other sidekicks that have been inducted over the past couple of years. You've missed a lot since your capture." I explained to him.

"You look as old as I am." He just said, a little shocked at the idea. We have no idea how long he was frozen in there, but it seems like he was still fifteen years old.

I smirked, "I am sixteen, so technically I'm older than you." I informed him and he just shook his head.

"I was there for years..." He looked at his hands. "I thought my time as a Superhero would be over when they cut off my arm, but...I don't know. He looked up and his eyes fell on the youngest of our group. "Lily?"

"I was wondering when you would notice me." Lily just smiled and hugged Speedy. "I'm glad you made it out ok."

"Same to you! I never thought I'd be able to see you outside of those walls." He hugged her back and we all just stared at them, baffled by what happened.

"Roy, if I may ask, how do you two know each other?" Kaldur asked.

"Kaldur, your speech is still the same." He laughed before letting go of Lily. "Lily was the only reason I made it through. Whenever they ran experiments, her brother, Lily, and I usually shared the same room. They would leave and the three of us...the three of us kept each other company. We talked and shared our lives with each other. I realized though that I was the only one that was being kept frozen as every time I saw them again, they aged. After a bit, it was only Lily, and she kept my hope alive that we would be saved, but after..." he cringed.

"After they moved us into the parasite phase, Roy took a turn for the worse. They kept him frozen because of his arm, and they were going to dispose of him, but that was when I was chosen as the compatible host, they decided that he might have another use and froze the two of us until further notice." Lily finished her story.

"I'm guessing you healed me?" He asked Lily, who just smiled. "Thank you." He looked at me, "I still won't be able to live down that the same cocky eleven year old Boy Wonder saved me from Cadmus." He just smirked.

"That same eleven year old that kicked your ass whenever we sparred." I teased him back, and he just laughed. That was our relationship with both Wally and Speedy, we ragged on each other, but knew that when the time came we wouldn't want anyone else by our sides than the other two. "Let me introduce you to the rest of the team then." I said and for the rest of the day Roy and I talked about everything he missed. Eventually Wally came in to see his long time friend, and after Wally almost cried Speedy just teased him making the three of us smile.

So for the rest of the day, Wally, Roy, and I just talked. The awkwardness between Wally and I didn't matter because the trio was together again, albeit different, we still got together like missing pieces to a puzzle. I laughed alongside Wally as we recalled the first time Speedy tried to show off his skills and almost fell twelve stories, but ended up catching an old ladies underwear sliding down a wire line and then the same woman yelling at him for being a pervert. We pockedmup our friendsh just like before.

Eventually Wally and I left back to our homes, him to star city, and me to Gotham since tomorrow was Monday we didn't have the choice but to leave. Roy fell asleep just as we left and throughout the whole time I was going home, I couldn't wait till Speedy was up and getting back into form again, but then I felt a pang of guilt as I remembered Red Arrow. I walked through the door to Wayne Manor still thinking about Speedy's clone.

"Master Dick, welcome home. I've prepared dinner for you, and must say I am glad to see you up and about." Alfred said as I entered, yeah I still ached, but at least I could walk,cI was just off missions for now. "Master Bruce would like to see you in his study when you are done." i just sighed and Alfred pat my shoulder.

I ended up inhaling the food Alfred made, since I haven't had a proper meal from Alfred in who knows how long. I then decided that I needed to shower, change, and then go see Bruce. He could wait, besides I wasn't looking forward to facing him just quite yet. But I knew there was no avoiding the Master of Wayne Manor and entered his study hesitantly. "You wanted to see me...?" Nothing was more intimidating than Bruce Wayne.

"Dick, please sit down I need to talk to you." He gestured to his desk and I knew this was not good. I took a seat and he began. "After everything that happened, between the incident at Cadmus, what Lily, Speedy, and Lumos have informed me about, I have come to a conclusion. Something I know you will not like."

"What is it? Don't tell me you are going to take me off the team, I thought I proved myself that I can handle workin-" He stopped me midsentence by holding up a hand.

"Dick, I want you to stop being Robin."And the world rang in my ears as those words sunk in.

* * *

A/N: So there you have it! I have no idea how I actually got to this point in the story, but you know, I think it turned out ok. Please, review the story and let me know how you guys liked it, specifically what you guys think of my version of Robin, Lumos, and Lily. I hope you enjoyed the story though! :)


	3. Relationships

A/N: I've gotten really into this story it seems. Because these are my longest chapters, ever, and I get them out so quickly. I am kind of tired though, but I want to get at least the next chapter out before working on my other stories. I have a plan for the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I love writing it. You'll see in this chapter a softer side to RObin as he interacts with new characters.

Disclaimer: Don't own, yeah.

Reviews: **Mixxi:** Thanks, I'm trying to get them out in large sums. So that people can read them and not stop five minutes after they just started.

**Drake Strike: **Right! Now I remember! Jason Todd becomes Red Hood! I still love the whole Dick Grayson story still, he's my favorite DC character. Again, I'm familiar with Green Arrow and the Batclan, but the others I'm a little lost. At least I don't confuse Marvel and DC characters! I'm glad you are enjoying this story, and continue to give me feedback good sir! (Read your profile, I love Doctor Who, rewatching the whole ninth doctor up till today just to get a better understanding. I am curious how Amy Pond is let go though as a companion)

**Rein: **I'm glad you are liking the two characters! I had a hard time trying to get Lily's personality, but I think it came out ok. Though, you might have to wait for the next chapter cause Lumos...might not have a role this chapter. You will see. To clear this up, Batman didn't adopt Lily, he just allowed Lily to be able to live in Mount Justice. That's it. Again, focus this chapter are three characters, and you shall see them. Roy, Wally, Lumos and other characters will become a lot more prominent next chapter, and you'll see why. Yes! I will let you know that this is the beginning of Nightwing, Robin begins to understand who he is, but again, I'm saving this for later!

**Steam-Panda: **Your wish is my command reader. The next installment has arrived.

* * *

"Dick, I want you to give up being Robin."

I just stared at him like he just said that he was an alien from the planet of Pluto, which incidentally isn't a planet anymore according to-you know, not the point at the moment. "Bruce, you can't seriously be asking me to-"

"I am Dick." He stood up and walked over to the window, staring over at Gotham City. "I've...I saw the way Green Arrow coped when he found out Red Arrow was just a copy. Training a protege for so long and finding out he is nothing more than a shadow of the boy he trained."

"But I'm not a clone, you'd know right away if I was a clone." I raised my voice. "You can't ask me to give up being Robin!"

"Robin, I know what I'm asking you to do is more than just giving up the costume, the life, the action. I know I am asking you to give up half of who you are, half of your identity." Bruce came and sat next to me. "Believe me, I know this would be hard for you, but I'm asking as a father, Richard, will you stop being Robin."

I looked at him, and saw all of the pain that he was trying to convey. We both knew the pain of having to bury a family member, and Bruce and I are father and son, there was no other way to look at it, and I could only say one thing at this point. "Only if you give up being Batman."

"I can't do that Dick." Was all he said, not looking at me. "The world needs Batman, and only I can fill that role."

"Let me get this straight, you want me to give up being Robin because you are worried I might die, or get captured? What about me? How do you think I'd feel knowing you were out there every day, every night fighting beings, creatures, humans that at any moment can kill you? I've buried one father, and I don't want to bury another knowing if I was there, things might be different Bruce." He knew my point was valid. "You can't ask me to do that if you are going to do it anyways."

He gave me a hard and serious look. "Dick, I've been doing this longer than you have. I have the experience, and your judgement call with Cadmus showed me you take risks that I would never take."

"Risks?! You think I take Risks?!" I looked at him like he was crazy. "I thought our job as Superheroes were to help save people." And just as he was about to say something, "I know we talked about that. But sometimes, risks are necessary! That's the only way we can ever get things done is by taking the necessary risks!" I argued back.

"But are those risks really worth the life of some guy?" He retorted, and I knew this wasn't just about me being Robin, or the risks I took it was about my feelings and my eyes went wide. "I know that growing up you want to experiment, and try out,"

"I am not having this discussion with you Bruce." I narrowed my eyes and began again. "We are not making this discussion about...about my personal life, this is about my life as Robin."

"And your personal life is interfering with the life of Robin." He said. "I don't care if you like a guy or a girl, but when your feelings cloud your decision, that's when mistakes begin to happen, and that is when you get killed."

I just stopped and looked away from him. I just couldn't think about my life without being Robin, I've been doing this job for seven years of my life, working harder and harder to be as strong as Batman, nothing could make me give up being Robin. "I can't give up crime fighting Bruce."

He let out an exasperated sigh, "Richard, I am not going to give up Batman. My life has been centered, and my cause is just too big to give up."

"Your cause?!" I was so tired of this, I didn't like arguing with Bruce. "Your cause is to save the people of Gotham, but you know what this job has done to you? Your job as Batman has made you cynical, cold, and calculating. You don't see the importance of taking risks and letting emotions actually get into your life instead of keeping a distance from everyone. I can't do that, I can't just calculate the risks and prevent myself from doing something when I know that my efforts could have made even a little bitnof a difference. I thought after all this time you would see that." I said getting up and walking towards the door. "I'll talk to you later." I opened the door, and slammed it shut just as I heard him call my name.

Going into my room I grabbed a duffel bag and filled it with my uniform for tomorrow and a change of civilian clothes before swiping my book bag filled with my books and running down the stairs before Bruce could ask me to come back into his office.

"Master Dick, is there anything I can do for you?" Alfred asked as I walked out into the garage to grab the Batcycle.

"No thank you Alfred, I just need to clear my head." I said throwing my bags into the secret compartment on the motorcycle. "I'll make sure to call you if I need a ride anywhere. Thanks." I said as I put on my helmet, jumped on the boke, and kicked started the engine. Alfred opened the garage and I headed west. I knew who I wanted to talk to and immediately I pressed a button on my helmet, that started calling the one person that I knew would take me in at nine at night.

"Hello?" I heard the Speedster say on the other end.

"Hey Wally." I managed to get out, the roar of the engine making it slightly hard to hear.

"Dude, are you talking to me while driving, they say that's incredibly dangerous." He japed.

"So is running and eating, but you manage to do that all the time." We both laughed. "I was wondering if I could stay over tonight, Bruce and I got into a fight and I just, can't imagine going anywhere else but with you." I asked. Wally found his own place in Star City now that he was going to be attending the University of Star City.

There was a pregnant pause before he finally said, "Dude, Artemis is kind of over, and well..." He just let the end hang there, and definitely heard Artemis in the background. She had school tomorrow, senior skip day.

"It's cool KF. I understand." I just shrugged it off. "Later buddy." And immediately hung up the phone. I really didn't want to go back to Mount Justice, Batman could easily track me there and keep an eye on me, and that was just not an option. The only thing that I could think of to do, was to do the one thing Batman forbade me to do, donning the Robin persona I parked my bike in a secluded area and climbed the rooftops of Gotham.

I looked at my watch and realized it has been a good five hours since I left Wayne Manor, the clock reading two o'clock in the morning. I've stopped a car jacking, a heist, and a petty robbery of a jewelry store, but still I wasn't ready to go home and sleep yet. Just as I was about to jump to the southern part of town I heard a little boy screaming.

Tracing the scream, I found a young boy running down the back alleys of Gotham City, being chased by three skeevy guys. "Come on little boy, you wanted to cross into our territory? Well...you need to be taught a lesson." One of the guys yelled as they chased him. I tried to catch up to them, hoping the young boy wouldn't turn into one of the many dead ends of Gotham city, whoever built this city was stupid to make almost every other back alley a dead end, I swear. I was still quite a distance away from them, and they just kept running.

And, just to mock me Murphy's Law took place, and I saw the boy heading for a dead end.

"Shit." I said as I picked up the pace. The boy panicked as he looked back, now that he was at a dead end, the only thing he could do was turn around and try to fight his way out. "Come on kid find a way out of there." I whispered, hoping I made it in time. His clothes were ripped, and he was crying a little bit, but still he was ready to fight.

"Hey, what the hell do you guys think you are doing?"A voice said, and I was surprised to see who was standing there watching. "You guys are really going to try to pick on a little kid?!" Evan's voice carried across the alley as everyone looked at him.

The men just laughed and turned back to the kid and crept ever closer to him. "Hey, I said leave him alone!" Evan called out as he ran and pulled one of the guys back. Evan immediately got punched, and I finally got the chance to show myself. Doing a move I learned from my father long ago, I did a quadruple somersault off the building and landed right on the guy who punched Evan, knocking him to the floor.

"I take offense to picking on little boys." I remarked as the guys came after me. Evan ran around me, clenching his jaw as he went and wrapped himself around The young boy protecting him. I quickly dispatched of the other two, it was easy work, and after a small scuffle the two of them ran away with a tail between their legs as they left their friend. "Are you two alright?" I asked them.

"Yeah, just a little scratch." Evan just smiled, as he rubbed his chin. Even in this dark alley, it was funny seeing how Evan could still be smiling in such a dark scenario.

"I...you are..." We both turned to the little boy, his jet black hair and blue eyes reminded me of...well me. "Your Dick Grayson." The young boy spoke up and both Evan and I just stared at him, and I was startled that he knew.

I coughed, "Who? The adopted kid of Mr. Wayne?" I scoffed, trying to play it like I wasn't Richard John Grayson. "Met the kid once, kind of a wimp." I shrugged.

"Hey, Dick isn't a wimp." Evan defended me. "He's sweet and kind of a goof, but incredibly intelligent, and I feel like..." Evan had a very curious look in his eyes. "There is a light of strength in him." He gave a soft smile, and I couldn't help but blush.

"Yeah, whatever I guess." I just shrugged it off.

"I know you are Richard Grayson." The little kid glared at me. "Only one person could pull off a trick like that, and I saw him do it." He continued to glare.

"Robin! Look out!" I heard a little too late as I felt a bullet graze my shoulder, I was tackled to the ground and found Evan rushing past me after knocking me down. Another gun shot as it whizzed by and hit Evan on the arm, but it didn't stop him as he kicked the guys arm, knocking the gun out of his hand, before he punched the attacker in the stomach and just to add to the injuries, Evan slammed his elbow hard into his attackers back. The man I landed on was now knocked out cold.

"Ugh." I heard Evan say as he grabbed his shoulder walking over to me. "You guys all right?" He asked us, and that was when I felt the pain on my shoulder, and looked down to see that I managed to have my foot sprained as I was knocked out of the way, but with what would have happened if I asnt knocked out of the way The little boy came out from behind a trash can nodding. He didn't look to be hurt.

"Just a sprained ankle is all. How abiut you?" I looked at him and could see he was definitely in pain.

"Nothing I can't deal with. I live nearby, come on, I can treat that wound." He grabbed a white handkerchief from his pocket and making a makeshift tourniquet for his arm. I tried putting weight on my right ankle and flinched in pain. I felt an arm come around my back and hoist me up. "You shouldn't put weight on that, I'll help you." The two of us made our way down the alley, and Evan looked back, "Hey kid, you coming?" He asked the little boy who quickly ran to catch up to us.

He wasn't kidding when he said he lived nearby. A few back alleys and then a quick walk down an empty street and we were at a very run down apartment building. I just raised my eyebrow, "You live here?" I just raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, only thing I can afford, but it's home for me." He shrugged and helped me hop the stairs, luckily he only lived on the second floor and not the fourth. He unlocked the apartment, and it was just as rundown on the outside as it was on the inside. He led me over to the bedroom and sat me down on his bed, I just sniggered when I realized it was Robin based sheets. "Don't comment." He glared as he laid me in bed. "Kid, want to boil a pot of water for me?" He spoke to the silent boy just watching me carefully as Evan tended to me. The kid just froze, nodded, and ran off into the small kitchen/living room.

I watched Evan and started to realize that he must be used to this, taking care of his mother and all. "You know Robin," He began to say, bringing me out of my thoughts. "If you are Dick Grayson, I wouldn't be surprised. He's the only one I can think of who would make sense as Robin. I go to school with him, and Even though he gets beat up sometimes, I've seen him in gymnastics, and he really does fly through the air like you do." He just smiled as I felt his hand prodding at the gunshot wound. I flinched as he started to clean the wound with a towel.

"You know Evan, it seems like you have a crush on Dick Grayson." I managed to get out through pained breaths as he cleaned the wound with alcohol. A smile crept up on his lips, and I just did not trust that smile, but before I could ask the kid came back in. "Thanks." We both said and the kid just sat next to Evan. "What's your name?"

"Tim. Tim Drake." Tim said just watching what Evan was doing as he pulled out a rag from a closet and dipped it in the hot water. I recognized that name, the Drake family was a rich family here in Gotham, they ran an international corporation that meant they travelled the world constantly, but if I remember correctly Batman saved Tim's parents a year ago, where his mother passed away and his dad was in a coma. He placed his head on the sheets and just watched again as Evan began to clean his own wound.

"The Drake family..." Evan commented, "I'm sorry about your mom, what that man did to them shouldn't have happened." Evan said draping an arm over Drake trying to console him. "My name is Evan, it's nice to meet you." Evan mentioned, and he just looked at me, and he knew I really was Dick Grayson. I never asked him his name, but plainly used it.

"Tim, how old are you now?" I asked him as Evan wrapped the gunshot wound, it only grazed him thankfully.

"Ten years old." He said, and continued to stare at me. "You are Dick Grayson." He said once again, and I just looked right back at him. "Admit it." He said, and I just looked at him.

"I'm not." I told him strongly, but then he pulled out a picture that was folded and handed it to me. Carefully, I unfolded the picture using my good arm and looked at it. It was the same picture I had sitting on my desk at Wayne Manor.

"That child is me, and by your facial expressions, you recognize it as much as I do." Tim said and sat back in the chair. It was a picture of me right before my parents were killed. Surrounding me were my parents and Janet and Jack Drake. In my wrms was a little boy by the name of Drake. "You are Dick Grayson." He concluded and I couldn't find the words to tell him I wasn't.

"Hey, why don't you go into the other room and grab us some drinks huh?" Evan suggested. Tim just shrugged and walked off into the kitchen to grab some drinks. "Sorry Dick." He smiled t me as he cut the final bandage he had for his wound. He got up and shut the door locking it. "So, the kid that gets beat up all the time is actually Robin, Boy Wonder." Evan said, a playful smile on his lips.

I just stared at him, "Yeah..." I said, knowing there was no way I could hide it. "Please, you can't say anything." I begged, jostling my arm and groaning with pain.

"Chill bro, I won't tell, and I don't think Tim will either. We have to focus on your injuries." He said and suddenly a blush crept onto his face. "Umm...i'm going to have to undress you if I want to treat you." And now I understood why he was blushing and followed him in doing it. There was a knock on the door.

"Why is the door locked?" I heard Tim ask, and at that point he really did sound like a ten year old.

Evan got up and opened the door slightly and told him, "Sorry, you aren't old enough to see this surgery brat." Evan joked. It was funny how easily Evan could change a very tense situation and make it...goofy. Then I remembered Wally could domthe same thing in anybsituation, and my heart sank.

"What?!" I heard Tim complain. "I have the right to be in there too."

"Inappropriate things might happen in here kid, you don't want to be here." And he laughed as I heard Tim choke on his drink, and my face must have been beet red, because he just laughed some more when he saw me. The door was closed, and we could hear the television in the next room.

"May I ask why you had to say things like that?" I didn't dare look him in the eyes.

"You asked me if I had a crush on you Dick." And then I turned around and his lips were on mine. He was strong and confident as his lips moved against mine, and I couldn't help but move against him. His lips were hot, and tender as he pushed his lips against mine. They were soft though, powerful, yet very shy about what was happening. "Yes Dick. I have a crush on you." He said before moving away and picking up a towel. "Do you mind if I take off your shirt?" He asked.

"Umm...no, that's ok." I said, nervous as I felt his hands on my shirt and begin pulling it off, the blood caked onto the fabric. I felt a pain as it brushed past my wound and I felt extremely cold now. His hands trailed against my skin and I felt nervous now that he saw the scars on my skin from fights with many different villains. I shivered as hands trailed my navel and up my chest before landing on the wound. "Yeah, I know. My skin is...rough." I smiled, pain filling my voice. I hated how these scars left marks on my body.

"No." He said, as he cleaned the wound with a warm towel and cleaning it with alcohol wipes. "They are trophies, revealing your true strength." He continued to clean the wound, and I just kind of squirmed at the way he tended to me. Wrapping the wound, it was clean and the bleeding stopped. "There might be some muscle damage, but it'll heal fine." He smiled. "Now, the pants." He gestured, "That, I won't take off for you." He winked, and all I did was glare.

I moved the sheets to cover my waist and legs and squirmed until the tights were off my body. I just handed him the pants, and he lifted the covers to reveal my leg. "Hmm, it's swelling up, but nothing is broken or fractured." His hands were just tenderly inspecting the injury. Grabbing some bonding wrap he wrapped my foot in the white bandages and just made sure it was tied well before putting the covers back on. "I'm gonna check on Tim and get you an ice pack. Want a drink?" He asked.

"Sure, coke if you have any." I said and he just headed back into the main area of the apartment. I finally got a good look at his room, and could tell he was a normal teenager. A poster of a hit video game hanging on his wall, the poster of a band I would listen to when I was training, a collection of CDs, and then his closet. I did notice though, a lack of pictures of his family though.

"Tim fell asleep." Evan walked back into the room. "Are you going to remove the mask?" I just shook my head, even though he knew my identity, it was safer if I kept it on. "Fine have it your way." He shrugged and handed me a glass of Coke. We both took a swig of our drinks before we talked.

"I thought you took care of your little sister?" I asked, noticing the lack of another room.

"No, I'm not allowed to, so I visit her every other day. Instead I visit my mom in the hospital." He said. "And please don't ask about my mom, that is something that I'd prefer not to talk about." He just smiled sadly. "But man, you're Robin! That must be something!" He asked excitedly.

So for the next hour I told him stories about being Robin. The harrowing story of my narrow escape with The Joker, or how I took down Poison Ivy while Batman had to take care of Clayface. When it reached about four in the morning, we both ended up being tired. "We need to rest, both of us have class tomorrow." He got up. "I'll go sleep on the pull out couch."

"Uhh, Evan." I was nervous, "I'm using your bed, and I feel like, I should be the one on the pull out." I said.

"Nah, it's cool." He said, and quickly,I grabbed his hand. Again, embarrassed I let go of his hand. "Robin, if you don't want me to go just tell me." He sniggered, usually I'm the one that gets to do that. Shoot, when did I become such a girl?

"It's your bed is all." I said, "Don't think it's right for me to push you out of your own bed." I rolled my eyes and turned over in bed. I felt his weight on the other side and his scent overwhelmed me. He still smells like rain and lavender.

"Just to make it less uncomfortable," He grabbed a pillow and used it as a devider between the two of us. "Better?" He asked and when I looked at him, his hazel eyes were still shining in the night, and I hated that I had to sleep in this mask. As if on cue he reached over and took the mask off, placing it on the night stand behind me. I looked over at him and he was smiling, the side of eyes tended to crinkle as he smiled. "Without the mask you look normal, and your eyes are quite...beautiful."

I blushed and turned away from him. "Good Night, Evan."

"Night, Birdie." I heard him turn away, a small chuckle escaping his lips. I laid there and closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep. i could hear and practically feel Evan breathing evenly next to me. But sleep wouldn't come, and I couldn't help feel a slight chill, even while underneath these blankets. Looking back over Evan's sleeping form moved with every breath he took. I thought about that night about four months ago, when Aqualad, Aquagirl, Miss M, Superboy, Artemis, and Kid Flash had a training exercise to complete in the mountains.

It was a survival mission, and the temperature dropped. We weren't prepared for such extreme drops of temperature, but we refused to give up. Finding an empty cave we made a fire using a small flare I had to keep us warm, but at night it wasn't enough to keep our body emperatures at a regulated heat. We paired up with other team members and shared the heat with one another near the fire we had going. Aqualad held Aquagirl firmly in his arms, embarassingly stating it'd be better this way. Conner took Megann into his arms just stating in his factual, genome mind that it would make sense to share body heat, this was of course before their break up. Then, when Wally brought Artemis in calling her "beautiful", I never felt more alone in my life. Eqch of them sharing the embrace of someone, just irked me. Instead of waiting there, I told them I'd try to get the flag before sunrise, and none of them dared stopped me as I faced the bleeding cold alone.

I crept closer to Evan's body, and before he could say anything wrapped an arm around him, holding tight. He looked back at me as his Hazel eyes met my blue ones, and again smiled before turning around, and placing a tender kiss on my forehead and wrapping his arms around me, and for once I wasn't alone in this world. I quickly fell asleep within Evan's arms.

The next day came too quickly as I heard an annoying song playing in the room. Groaning I turned to find Evan already up and turning off the clock on the other side of the room. "Why the hell is your alarm clock...that?" I groaned, wrapping myself even more into the sheets.

"Because it'll actually force me to shut it off. You really think I like waking up to that?" He came over and hopped back into bed. "You can take the shower first, I have a spare uniform for you, if you want it." He said.

"Thanks for this Evan. Honestly, I didn't know where I was going to go last night." I admitted.

"Batman and you got into a fight?" I nodded. "Must be tough having him as a father." He commented.

"You have no idea." I just said getting up and stretching. My wounds were throbbing, but I knew I would be ok. "Just, it sucks that everything I do is something he calculates in his head. I understand that he is trying to train me to become Batman, but I can't." I said to mostly myself.

"I can't see you as The Dark Knight." Evan nonchalantly said. "You are way too goofy to be."

"You should see me on a bad day, even Bruce gets scared." I taunted, and I saw him give a little shake of his head.

"Don't doubt it." I. Heard him say as I got. My foot was feeling better, but when I walked it was evident I would be limping for the rest of the day. "I don't have to tell you how to use the shower." He said curling back into the sheets.

I just smirked making my way into the restroom that connected to the living room and bedroom. Checking into the living room Tim was still sleeping on the couch, a blanket draped over him, before shutting and locking both doors and undressing myself. I blushed for no one as I realized I slept with nothing but my boxers next to Evan and hoped he wouldn't say anything. Jumping into the shower, I let the grit from yesterday wash from my body as I undid the bandages from my Cadmus fight, as well as my recent ones Evan did. I hissed as the water hit the fresh wounds before grabbing a bar of soap and cleaning myself properly. I loved the way the water felt, and then running my hands through my hair as I put in shampoo. When I was done, I loved the feeling of being clean. The bathroom smelled of him because of the soap, and I just smiled.

A knock on the door, and Evan calling inside. "Breakfast is ready when you decide you're done." I raised an eyebrow and opened the door in a towel to find a uniform lying neatly on the bed. The bedroom door closed so that I can change in private as I slipped on the ironed uniform and straightened my tie, before walking out into the living room.

"Tim, watch, I bet you I can flip this pancake onto your plate. If I get it, you have to do the dishes, and if I don't get it, then I'll treat you out to ice cream after school." Evan said as he stood at the stove, the smell of freshly cooked pancakes, eggs, and bacon strips filled the apartment.

"Deal, there is no way you can make it!" Tim said, smiling since last night. I saw that he was wearing clothes a little too big for him, but he seemed happy enough. Every time I saw a picture of him in the news since his mom passed away, he was either upset, or frustrated with something, it was nice to see him smiling.

"Alright, watch. I'm a pro." Evan said and taking aim he tossed the pancake into the air, right off the pan. We all watched as it soared through the air flipping, and surprisingly enough it landed right on the plate. "Holy crap, I have never been able to accomplish that." Evan smiled evilly at Tim. "You owe me a clean set of dishes." He looked over at me and winked before turning back to Tim.

"That was just lucky. I bet you can't do it twice!" Tim retorted glaring.

"Hey, I won fair and square."

"If you can do it again, I'll do the laundry too, if not then you buy me dinner and ice cream." Tim wagered, and Evan just smiled.

"Alright punk, you got yourself a deal." Evan said as he placed another pancake into the pan.

"Evan, you are aware you are gambling with a little kid?" I questioned, and he just smiled.

"Stay out of it Grayson." Evan said throwing a piece of bacon at me. I just caught it and placed it on my plate.

"You can't do it again!" Tim challenged, smiling like the ten year old he should be.

"Watch me." Evan said and concentrated. Launching the pancake, we all watched it fly across the room, but instead of landing on the plate, it decided to make its home on my head.

"I can't believe that happened." I just pulled the Pancake away from my face as both Evan and Tim burst out into laughter. "How does that even happen?"

"You were in the wrong place. Sorry." Evan apologized taking the rest of the food and putting it on the small table in his kitchen.

"You owe me dinner and dessert." Tim perked up.

"Yeah, I know punk." I watched as Evan ruffled Tim's messy black hair before just smiling at me again, I rolled my eyes and began to pile food onto my plate. "Hey Dick, you gotta take Tim home today before going to school. I plan on making a detour to the hospital before heading to school." He informed me.

"Not a problem." I said before taking a bite of pancake, they were quite delicious, fluffy and warm. I looked over at Tim and gave him a small wink, "You're pretty smart for a ten year old you know that?"

"Thanks," He gave kind of a shy smile. "People don't talk to me though because of me being the heir to the Drake name. The other kids think I'm intimidating just cause of my name."

"You know, I had the same problem when I was adopted by Bruce." I mentioned off-handedly. I saw Evan paying close attention. "When I had to go to school instead of perform, it was hard adjusting. People didn't like talking to me because I was the adopted son of THE Bruce Wayne. So you know what I did?"

"What?" He was attentive and hanging onto the words pouring out of my lips.

"I approached them." I said. "I took the lead in my life and introduced myself to people, trying to find people and friends that I liked to be around." I said before biting another piece of bacon. "I learned that sometimes it's taking that first step that can make people open up to you, and you find who you are. All you have to do is be yourself." I finished.

"I-I'm not very good at that." He admitted solemnly. "I don't know how to just take charge, and talk like you do. Sometimes I get made fun of because I can't answer a question I know how to do! I'm just not like you Robin. I can't just make friends."

"Hey, you won us over punk." Evan added, and this seemed to cheer him up a little bit and we began eating.

The breakfast came and gone, and it was different from what I was used to sitting with Bruce as we ate. Discussing about any of the previous missions we had to undertake, we just talked like two normal teenagers, and it felt warm talking with Evan and Tim. That was when I had an idea.

"I was wondering, are you guys doing anything next month." I checked the calendar hanging on his wall. "Actually exactly one month from now." I confirmed, as they both just stared at me.

"Why what do you have in mind?" Evan looked at me. "Wanna take us on a little date?" I just hit his arm and rolled my eyes.

"No, I was wondering if you would like to come over to Bruce Manor for a party BRuce hosts for charity every year." I told them, "We hold it to raise money for orphans, and well a chair is expensive, but I have the hook-up." I winked and Evan just laughed.

"My parents went to that once, I think I was too young and was left at home." Tim mentioned as he tore up a piece of bacon. Tim just looked at me, "I don't have anything to wear to that though," He frowned.

"I got you kid, we'll go shopping for it." Evan just laughed, poking Tim, making him laugh and giggle. "Sure, I would love to go. It's not like I wanna be here. Let me get a taste of how the higher class lives."

"Sweet, I'm glad." I told him as I got up and put my dish away. "Tim, you ready to go? I'll drop you off at your home." He just smiled sadly up at me, before walking over to the sink and placing his dish. I looked at Evan and he also saw the sad look cross Tim's face.

"Tim," Evan said softly, and I just watched as a very, fatherly side of Evan came up as the little boy walked over to him. Evan kneeled down to his height and began to muse his hair back into the disarray of bed head. "How about this, I promise that I'll pick you up as soon as school is over, and I'll hang out with you all day." We watched as Tim's face lit up in a smile, one that reminded me of the one I had before my parents passed away. The one that Bruce got me to have again, and I missed Bruce. He was my dad after all.

"You promise?" He said.

"Of course I do. I'll pick you up and make sure that we can do whatever you want, besides I still owe you dinner and ice cream right?" Tim nodded. "Dick, you are welcome to join us at any point." Evan said and I looked over at Tim who just had these pleading eyes watching me. "You are his hero."

"Not today, but tomorrow, I'll join you guys." I promised, and Tim gave another smile. "Come on Tim, let's go. The two of us have got to get to school." I said as the little boy ran over to me, I sent Evan a smile before we closed the door and walked down the street, Tim telling me where to go.

A stray dog came rushing out of one of the alleys and Tim quickly hid behind me, grabbing my hand. "It's all right Tim, it's just a dog." I said and he nervously nodded before we continued. It was odd, sometimes Tim was so strong, and yet so shy at the same time. "May I ask why you were in this part of Gotham?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to get away." He said, and I understood. "No one to share the house with, and it just...it reminded me of mom." He said but there weren't tears in his eyes, just a determined look.

"I know." I said, and I might be the only person in the world that might understand him. Besides, maybe Speedy. "The only time I felt like I was home after Bruce took me in was when I was on the Trapeze. Flying and flipping through the air, but, then a fear struck me." I admitted as we continued walking. "Of falling. I'm always afraid of falling Tim, whether it be from a building, or because there might be no one I can talk to."

"Your parents died of falling." Tim whispered, and even though he said it, my heart still ached.

"Yeah, when I think about that. I'm always afraid of falling one day." I said. "But, that doesn't mean we stop. We have to face our fears Tim."

We were still walking, and Tim admitted one of his own secrets, "I still haven't seen dad..." He whispered and he stopped walking. This time tears were falling onto the sidewalk and I was at a lost. Being the youngest in any group I had no experience of dealing with young kids, but I remembered something Bruce always did to me when I cried.

I walked over and knelt down beside him, using my fingers to wipe away his tears and just smiled, copying the way Evan fixed Tim's hair. "We should go then." I told him. "The two of us should go see your dad after school. I'll move around what I had to do and with Evan we can go face your demons." I said and he just nodded as we walked back to his home.

"Thanks for saving me last night Dick." He said as he opened the gate and walked down the road, a maid was waiting for him.

"I'll be here after school Tim." I called out to him and he smiled before running to the house. I watched his small body enter the mansion before I walked to school not fifteen minutes away.

I picked up the cellphone and began to dial Bruce's number. He picked up on the first ring. "Richard?!" His voice was filled with panic and relief, I didn't know he could do that. "You are ok." He sighed.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for worrying you Bruce." I softly muttered into the phone.

"Did, you get into trouble last night?" He asked, probably knowing I was out patrolling last night. I told him everything that went down, I didn't want to hide anything from him, and even told him that Evan and Tim knew our secret identities, since there was no way I could prove them wrong. "Is that ok? It wasn't like I could help what happened." I waited for a response as the pause extended.

"It's all right Dick. I understand, I'm just glad you weren't hurt further." I was shocked to hear him say he was ok with the fact that Evan knew I was Robin. "Just come home when you get the chance."

"I will, after I run that errand after class." I reassured him, "And..." I paused making sure he gave a sign that he was still listening. "I love you dad." I said, and those words just kind of fit, I loved him like he was my own father.

"Love you too, son." I heard him say as the phone clicked signalling the call ended. I just smirked, knowing I embarrassed The Batman, and couldn't help but proudly smirked. I still had five minute walk to school, so I decided to call Mount Justice.

After the first few rings, an unexpected voice answered. "Hello?" Wally's voice filled the other end.

"Uhh, hey Wally." I said, slightly nervous. Me, Robin was nervous for talking to a guy. Seriously? Ugh, whatever.

"Hey man, why are you calling here so early?" Wally asked.

I snickered at that, "Why are you at Mount Justice, don't you have class?" I responded.

"Asked you first." That cocky attitude.

"Wanted to let everyone know I had business to attend to after school and wouldn't be there for training, today."

"But Dude!" He said, emphasizing the dude, "Today was supposed to be the first day we both got to train together since that incident."

"I got a date." I told him, and I could hear the phone drop and almost hit the floor as it whizzed in my ear.

"What?!" He asked stunned. "With who?!"

"With a ten year old boy."

"That's...gross..." Wally said, and we both laughed.

"I'm helping out a..." I was thoughtful about the words I was going to use. "A friend."

"But, come on man! I've been waiting for this! Gotta show you some new moves I made up." His voice pulled away from the phone as I heard Wally talking to some chick, calling them 'gorgeous' or 'beautiful', it still irked me. "Fine then, be that guy that stands up his best friend." I raised my eyebrow at his choice of words.

"If I remember correctly, you rejected me, Kid Jerk." I challenged him and the phone line stayed silent. "Change of Subject." I could hear him shift himself to make it less awkward. "I wanted to invite the team to a charity gala at the Manor. We hold it every year for orphans, Ollie, Dinah, Clark, and some of the other team members will be there. Thought it'd be great bonding time." I informed him.

We waited a minute, "Yeah, I'll inform the team." So I proceeded to give him the rest of the details before I hung up the phone. Seemed like things still were a little awkward between Wally and I, but at least we could still joke around.

I arrived at school, a little disheveled from the walk, but still I made it to class on time and sat there counting down the clock. Evan and I had two classes with each other, and he decided to take the seat next to me during those classes where we took notes together. I caught small glances at the boy next to me, wondering what he made out of our situation. I was embarassed to think that we were a couple.

For the rest of the day I pondered the things I knew about Evan and realized it wasn't a lot. He had a little sister that lived with some friends in the city, his mom was sick from heart problems, he lives in a small apartment, and I think he told me once he worked at a small computer store? But that might be a rumor. I still wasn't sure. "Earth to Grayson!" I heard Diane say to me.

"Sorry! Was kind of distracted." I turned towards the fierce blonde girl who looked so out of place without her bow.

"I'll say, a football almost rammed into your head." She flicked my ear, and I just glared. We were walking through the halls, both of us on a study period and had quite a bit before getting back to studying. We made our way to one of the many empty classrooms where she pulled me in so that we could talk. "I know something is up between you and Wally."

"What makes you think that?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm not stupid Grayson. He has been acting weird, and I know it's connected to you. Whenever you walk into a room, he begins to fidget, you should have seen him when he was one the phone with you. I know he is Kid Klutz, but dropping the phone is a little much." She sighed, "I just want to say, cause this is a thing between you boys, that whatever it is. Just make up already. All of us are worried."

"It's not that simple." I began, but she just glared.

"It never is Boy Wonder." She said opening the door to the hallway and walking out. I sighed and sat down on the desk before collecting myself and walking back into the hallway. Yeah, Artemis was right, I would need to work things out with Wally eventually.

The rest of the day was simple. I went to lunch where I sat with Bette, Barbara, and Diane where we laughed and ate like always. I was kind of hoping Evan would have joined us, but he was talking to some of his other friends. It was hard to stop looking over to try to watch him, maybe he really wasn't interested in me.

The school bell rang and I caught up with Evan as he was heading out. "Later Babs!" I said as I ran past Ms. Gordon and walked beside Evan. "You still going to pick up Tim?"

"Yeah, on my way over now." He nonchalantly mentioned. "You going to come with us now?" I nodded. "Sweet! I'm glad. Moved around things on your schedule I presume?"

"Yeah, they can wait." I waved it off. "I wanna take Tim to see his dad in the hospital." I explained to him what happened this morning.

"Where is his dad at?" We were nearing Tim's home, and I could already see a boy sitting outside of the gate.

"If I read correctly, he was staying at Gotham Memorial." A newspaper did say that he was staying there, if I remembered correctly.

"Sounds good." Again, Evan was lost in his thoughts before saying. "You should meet my mother too, she's there as well." I just watched his expressions and was the one confused as Tim ran up to us.

"Hey kid." Evan said, ruffling Tim's hair. Tim pouted and slicked it back down.

"Tim, how was school today?" I pushed Evan out of the way.

"Better. Thanks." He just gave the two of us a small smile. "I...I'm scared of going to the hospital." He looked down, kicking at a rock.

I looked at Evan, and before I could even say anything, Evan was already there. "Come on Kid, I know it's hard seeing your parents in that kind of state. But they'll never get better unless you give them that hope." I couldn't help but smile at the way Evan handled the situation. "My mom is in the hospital too, and she would love to meet with you guys." Tim looked at him and just nodded, a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Yeah, let's go." Tim said. We walked down the street and I knew that the hospital wasn't too far away. Tim told us about how he tried to do what I said, and began to trust himself a little talking to some of the kids. One of the girls even smiled at him as they played, and he felt so much better about himself. I couldn't help but laugh at his shyness.

We reached the hospital and gave the clerk/security woman our information. The young lady, with long blonde hair just smiled at Evan. "Nice to see you today Evan. Your mother has been doing better, I've heard." The security guard gave Evan a sympathetic smile.

"Thanks for the update Marisa." He smiled, "I'll make sure I go check up on her." The three of us signed in and grabbed our visitor passes and headed to the second floor, where Tim's dad was laying in a coma.

I hated the smell of hospitals, bandages, sickness, antiseptic, and worst of all...sorrow. It just smelled like death, and always my stomach churned when that smell hit my nose, but I couldn't show it when Tim looked at me, the hope seeping out of his eyes. I held out my hand and he grabbed it as we walked down the hall.

"It'll be all right kid." Evan ruffled his hair, and Tim tried to smile. "Trust me."

We walked down the hallway and found the room, where Jack Drake lay in his bed, the breathing was even, but still we could hear how badly the poison affected his system. As we entered the room, Tim let go and immediately ran over to his father crying.

"I'm sorry Dad. I'm so so sorry." He kept crying. "I couldn't do anything for you." His tears were rushing out. "I'm sorry for running away. I just..." He sobbed harder. "I miss you and mom. I do." I had tears welling up in my eyes as I tried to think of a way to cheer him up, but couldn't. I felt Evan wrap his arm around my shoulder and I let some of my tears as I placed my head on his shoulder.

"Come on." He said, leading me out of the room leaving the small boy to his father. "Hey, Lizzy," He pulled one of the nurses aside, as he still had his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"Oh! Evan, your mom is in her room." She pointed to a room down the hall.

"Thanks, but not what I need." He softly smiled. "The boy in room 238, when he is ready to leave or looking for us, can you bring him to my mom's room? Or notify me?"

"Sure, anything." She smiled back and left us.

"You really are here a lot aren't you?" I was curious as to what happened to his mom, but I knew I had no right to pry.

"Yeah, whenever I can." He shrugged. "You want to meet her?" I gave a small nod. I blushed as he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "For being Robin, you are way too shy right now." He chuckled as he lead me down the hall to room 253.

When we entered, the lady in there wasn't what I was expecting. Long flowing dirty blonde hair, mixed with a dress with small sunflowers on it, she smiled as her son and I walked in. "Oh! Evan! How are you my darling?!" She said getting up from her chair and seeming like she floated over to us.

"Good afternoon mom." Evan smiled, clearly enjoying this side of her. "I would like to introduce to you to my friend Richard Grayson." He gently pushed me forward.

"Oh! Darling, he is just so cute!" She pulled me into a hug. "Where are my manners." Pulling away and smiling, "The name is Mary." She swept across the room and I looked at Evan, wondering what exactly was wrong with her. "You never bring any friends home my dear, I always worried you wouldn't find any friends at school."

"Sorry mom, never got the chance. Come on." Evan held out his hand and she gripped it, and I could tell that she was gripping a little too hard as he winced. "Did you take your medication mom?" I looked at the unopened bottle of pills on the bedside table.

"Oh, pish-posh! Those things don't do anything. Come on, let us go to the city." She tried to leave the room, but Evan had a firm grip on her.

"No mom, you need to take your pills to rest." He tried to coax her into taking her pills. That was when the sweet smile on Evan's mom changed. "Robin, block the door." He ordered and, quickly I moved around her and stood in the doorway. I watched his mom change from the smiling sweet mother, into something...crazy.

"Evan, I cannot believe you!" She yelled, and Evan just stared hard at her. "Let me go, so I can leave!"

"No mom, we have to stay here. I can't let you go out." Her hand slipped out of his and she looked outrage.

"I am your mother. You cannot keep me here!" She tore at her clothes, and I watched as she ripped her shoulder clothing and it almost fell off of her.

"Mom, just take your pills. Please." I watched as Evan stood and held out the pills and water out for his mom to drink. I watched the crazed look in her eyes, and saw her hand cock back.

She slapped him. Hard. Across the face.

"You see?! Now you made me do that to you! Now let me go to bed, I am getting tired." She huffed as she crawled into the hospital bed.

Evan sent me a smile, his face marred by a giant red hand print. "Of course mother." Evan said as he collected himself and dropped three pills into her water and handed her the glass. "Here mom, to help you sleep better." She gulped it down and smiled at him.

"Good night dear." And she was gone into sleep.

Evan closed his eyes and sighed. Looking from his mother to me a fake smile crossed his face. "I'm glad you got to see her a little bit when she was on a good day." He fixed his mother's hair. "After an incident six years ago, she lost her mind." I could tell that Evan rarely talked about this. "Sometimes she has a good day, where I can laugh and talk with her. Then, other days she ends up hitting me. There are other times when she is just in a catatonic state. Those pills are for her weak heart, pain meds, and then whatever happened to her mentally."

"Evan..." I began to make my way towards him.

"I don't want your pity Dick." He really did smile, "Just glad someone here with me." I pulled him into a hug and felt those tears run into my uniform before he pushed away only after ten seconds. "Thanks."

"You sure you're ok?" I asked him, and touched the red on his cheek. He winced, "We should get ice." I lead him away and to the nurse's station where they all looked at Evan worriedly. By what I could infer, Evan was like a second family member to all of them. He laughed and talked with each of them, while every nurse has taken care of his mother at least once on their rotation, they knew how hard it was on Evan.

After Evan was taken care of the two of us headed over to room 238 where we could hear Tim talking about his life with his dad. He even talked about Evan and I. We picked the kid up and we smiled as he kissed his dad's forehead before walking with us and out the hospital. "We'll come again soon." I promised him.

"Next big event is the charity." Evan said as we walked out of the hospital.

"Right." Tim smiled at him.

Evan smiled though, a very odd smile. It twisted and curled into something...knowing. Like he was concocting a plan. I shivered at a false wind. Things were going to get interesting.

* * *

A/N: So...that's it. Not a lot of action, but more emotional turmoil inside Robin. He trades his snarky attitude for a softer one while being Dick Grayson, and you see a little more about Evan and his life. Really think I would have made a minor character and gave him no detail? Come on. I believe this chapter was mostly focused on relationships. I wanted to show Robin as...Dick. Not as the Boy Wonder. Let me know how I think I did please. Review! I love hearing input.


	4. A Night in Happy Harbor

A/N: Yay, the next chapter is up! I actually wrote two versions of this chapter before deciding on this one. I'll explain what the other one was about at the end, but I decided that since this is supposed to be a Wally/Robin flick, I needed to throw a chapter focused mainly around the two of them. So here it is! Wally and Dick have a small date, that leads to...change. But I'll let you read. Of course Lumos and Lily have minor roles, but I'll just let you decide if I made the right choice. So here you go!

**Reviews**: I'm kinda sad not many people reviewed, but it's ok! Cause I love writing for my followers :)

**BodyintheGarden: **Heh, thanks I'm glad this story is genius. I love the idea of superheroes, and just creating one is such an honor. We still don't know much about my characters powers yet, but maybe next chapter it'll be revealed. I love Florence and the Machine, and will make a reference to Shake it Out in another chapter that I'm planning. Thank you for the message!

**Reining3: **Dick and Robin have to be different, or else he wouldn't need the secret identity, so I had to give Dick more of the sweeter side, and Robin the sarcastic smartass heh. You start realizing though that when he is with Wally both personalities start coming out I think it's kinda cute lol. The reason why, in my opinion, I put the two detectives to be able to talk so calmly, is because both know how to control their emotions, hence can see the absurd way they talked to each other. Yes, Tim is going to play a role, and when Dick decides to reinvent himself, then Tim will take up the mantle. Spoiler Alert though, What about Jason Todd? We shall see. To clarify this, Dick and Evan are still toying with the idea of going out. Right now, it's nothing but playful, flirty banter, though you won't see that till later.

**Guest: **Thanks mysterious reader! Lol

**Princess: **Your wish is my command. Here is a chapter dedicated to the BirdFlash duo. There relationship grows, but you'll see the awkwardness reap it's head in later chapters. IF it was this easy for them to get together, then there would be no story.

**Disclaimer: You know the deal. Do not own, cept Evan, Lumos, and Lily.**

* * *

The next month flew by in a flash as Bruce told me that the theme for the ball was Royalty, saying that for a night he wanted the kids and the guests to feel like they were more than who they were. I kind of liked the idea, and was glad that both Evan and Tim were coming for the event, I wanted to show them a better life, but didn't know how.

For those four weeks I spent a considerable amount of time with Evan and Tim. Monday through Wednesday I was with Tim and Evan, where we would go out to the mall or the local park. I got to know Evan a lot more about his life, like how he moved from Central City when he was six, how his sister, who he still never gave a name for some reason, always loved to be out around nature, and how he was kind of a nerd when it came to video games.

Tim on the other hand, was extremely more happy after the hospital. The days we wouldn't visit him or Evan had to go see his mom, Evan would bring Tim along so he could stay by his dad's side. Tim told us about what his parents and him would do whenever they weren't traveling the world, and how he missed his mother's voice. I felt for Tim, he was becoming like a little brother to me.

Then, from Thursday to Saturday, I was with the team. I helped Black Canary train Lily, Babs, Beast Boy, and Aquagirl to get them ready for more missions, and ended up reworking the whole security system thanks to a little thief. Megann or Babs always kept me company though, and sometimes Wally would drop in to see if I could play video games with him. It was still a little awkward being alone with him.

When Speedy got better and was given permission to train again, he spent more time alongside Artemis who was his designated instructor when Green Arrow wasn't around. He lost a lot of muscle while contained and he was slowly edging his way back into it. Sometimes, I would throw disks into the air for the two Archers to hit while they trained, no one else but Superboy was able to get them so...precise.

Batgirl and I were just getting back to the mountain after taking care of Mad Hatter. Usually Batman and I would have handled the mind-controlling villain, but he was busy taking care of league business. Mad Hatter was setting up a device to control the entire city, and with the technology he was using it was almost successful.

After Batgirl fell under his mind-control, I was afraid of having to injure Babs to stop her, and after one of her Batarangs that cut pretty deep into my arm, I was certain I was going to have to, but then Lumos showed up and stopped the device freeing us to take care of Mad Hatter.

"Mind-control is still one of the most unusual tactics." I heard Lumos comment as we were beamed into the Mountain. It was a quiet week for the team as there didn't appear to be any missions lined up. This allowed all of the team to catch up on schoolwork, patrol, or whatever else we had to do. "Do you control their mind because you yourself are too weak to do anything, or because it's just easier?" He proposed the question.

"Depends on what kind of mind control we are talking about here." I countered his argument, "Queen Bee and Poison Ivy control men specifically through their chemical pheromones, but Mad Hatter uses brain waves to do this." We were walking past the monitor screen where Red Tornado was working on compiling data from our last mission.

"Are you two boys really discussing Mind Control?" Batgirl looked exhausted after our fight. Being under Mad Hatter's control usually took a toll on someone's psyche, and after our one-on-one bout, she must have been aching.

"Well, if you put it that way. I guess we'll stop." Lumos shrugged as he adjusted his mask on his face. "Besides, I'll remind you who was the one that fell for Mad Hatter's tricks?" Batgirl just huffed in annoyance.

"Ok ok, I'll say thank you." She let go of her pride. "Thank you Lumos, because I didn't want to know what else Robin had in that utility belt of his. I swear he adds things to that daily." I just gave a sinister smile and laughed.

"Hey, I think we were doing just fine." Both Lumos and Batgirl decided to punch my arm, which caused me to wince as more blood oozed out the cut on my arm. "Ow!"

"Yeah Robin,you were so fine."Batgirl rolled her eyes. "Go get yourself cleaned up." Batgirl headed off for her room here in the Mountain, which she proceeded to decorate purple with posters of girl bands that she loved. It became a trend for everyone to decorate their rooms to make it feel more homey.

"I have to go train Lily, so I bid you adieu." Lumos bowed before walking away. He had such an odd formality to his speech sometimes. I proceeded down the hallway towards my own room where I knew I had a first aid kit hidden underneath the sink just in case of emergencies like this. But when I arrived, I found a certain Speedster waiting for me in his civilian clothing.

"Hey man!" He quickly stood up as I entered. "Rough time in Gotham?" He frowned when he noticed I was clutching my arm trying to hide the cut on my arm. Ignoring him, I went into the restroom to clean up, taking off my bloodied uniform shirt for better access.

"Yeah, Mad Hatter was trying to take over Gotham again." I called out of the restroom trying to find the hydrogen peroxide. "Anyways dude, why are you in my room? And when did I ever give you permission to my room?"

"Ouch sounds like you were hattered." He lamely joked, and I just shook my head as he laughed. I heard him zip to the door of my restroom and immediately zip away. "Dude! Put on a shirt!" Calling into the restroom, it was my turn to laugh my maniacal laugh.

"I'm trying to clean my wound, don't go barging into people's restroom if you don't like what you see." I snickered as I finally found the peroxide and began to clean my wound. "Ugh, this stuff burns." I cried, as I tried to clean it by myself. In an instant I felt a rough, gently hand on my arm. His firm hand grabbed the peroxide and tissue, and began to clean the wound for me, wincing when the cloth made contact with the wound. I looked up at him blushing. "Thanks Wally." I managed to say around the lump in my throat.

"Did you know your ears turn pink when you blush?" He asked me, we were almost the same height but he was still slightly taller than I was, and when my eyes met those Emerald ones, I blushed even further, making him chuckle. "That didn't help did it?"

His hands were warm on my arm, "I never noticed how many scars you get after missions." That was when I felt his hands trailing my skin, and I shivered at the touch. "Why don't you tell anyone about these?" He asked as he touched a particularly large one I received after a mission with Poison Ivy.

"Because, they're nothing Kid. Besides when did you get so worried about me? You sound like a mom. Not all of us can heal in five seconds without a blemish" I pulled away from his touch and punched his arm. I didn't like how he was frowning at my skin and pulled on a shirt I had laying in the restroom. "So, what did you come in here for?"

"Well dude," The Wally I was used to came back out, "I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out! The girls are currently getting themselves ready girls night out, and since we haven't had the chance to, we should so have a bro's night!" He excitedly said.

"Wouldn't this require we bring Roy, Kaldur, Lumos, Gar, and Conner with us on this bro's night?" I questioned him. Batgirl was telling me how Artemis was planning on taking all the girls out to get away for a bit, and to show Tula the surface life. I can still picture KAldur' horrified face when Artemis announced this, and Kaldur asking if he could go.

"Pft, yeah right! Roy is out with Green Arrow, Kaldur is most likely going to follow the super chicks to make sure his girlfriend is safe, screw Lumos." He said that last part rather too harshly. "Gar is ten, seriously not going to bring a ten year old on a bro's night. And Conner...well he would just brood and awkwardly ask what we were doing." I had to agree with him. He nailed everyone on the head.

"Fine fine." I chuckled as he looked like an excited puppy waiting for food, "What did you have in mind?"

I swear his ears perked up when I agreed and he began to ramble off at such a fast speed, if my mask wasn't on I'd be looking at him like he grew a second mouth. "Kid!" I yelled at him, making him stop mid sentence, or at least I assumed it was mid sentence, I still couldn't catch what the hell he said, how Batman did it, I would have to ask. "Kid. Slow. Down. I can't keep up when you talk like that."

"Oops, sorry, been practicing with Flash." He scratched the back of his head, apologetically. "I thought we should have a night out at Happy Harbor, grab some dinner, movie, and then whatever else happens ending with video games back here!" He cheered.

"Then why did you keep going, that only took like two seconds to say! You fit like a whole paragraph into that speed spout!" I walked out of the restroom and he followed me, just like a puppy. A cute puppy if I must say so.

"Because I was trying to list movies and showtimes, the different restaurants, and then the video games we could play dude!" He laughed as I searched for clothing, "It feels like we haven't hung out together in forever."

"I know what you mean, been way too long KF." I noticed how Kid was acting normal with me, and how our usual awkward manners from the past couple of weeks seemed to be forgotten. "Let me shower, and I can always meet you back in town." I pulled out some good civilian clothes. It was a light blue polo with khaki pants and a black belt. Might as well try to look good.

"Nah, I'll wait." He sat on the bed.

"You waiting? You sure you didn't hit your head Kid? I mean, I've seen you attack a boiling plate of soup. That joke about japanese not even being patient enough for their fish to cook, yeah you would eat the fish before it died." I shook my head with laughter as I turned to Kid, realizing he was smiling at me in an odd way.

"For you dude, I'd wait for anything." I couldn't help but feel slightly suspicious of that comment and entered the restroom closing the door and locking it before showering quickly. I would usually sit here for a good thirty minutes before cleaning my body to soak up the warmth, but Wally was waiting and it would have been rude to keep him waiting. I cleaned, towelled, and then put on my clothes with sunglasses already on as I stepped out of the door.

I found The young speedster staring at a picture by my bedside table, "I remember this. It was the first time the two of us went on a duo mission without Flash and Bats." He showed me the picture of me laughing like an idiot, as I had an arm wrapped around his shoulders getting him to take a picture as I held the camera above us. The scowl was quite pronounced on his face.

"That ape didn't even think we could take him on, but we showed him." I laughed as I stood next to him. Central City was being attacked by Gorilla Grodd and Flash was out with Superman and Batman taking care of a covert mission in Russia. While Wally had been put in charge for the first time, he never fought Gorilla Grodd by himself. "Didn't you get a broken arm because of that fight?"

He winced, "Don't remind me dude. You had to re-break the bone and set it properly because it was healing too quickly at a funky angle." We both shuddered remembering that look on Kid's face as I gave him a clean rag to bite down on. Holding his arm in my hands, I winced when I heard the crack of the bone, and the look of immense pain cross his face as I splintered his arm using some tools from my utility belt. "Gorilla Grodd, I hope he stays lockd up."

"Come on, when has any villain been kept inside a prison? For some reason, we invest thousands to millions of dollars into our security, and yet they always manage to escape." I laughed as he chuckled alongside me. We walked towards the hanger of the cave where I had parked my R-cycle, never knowing when I would need it for a mission nearby. this was where we also kept the Bioship, the extra Batjet, and all of the othe useful vehicles we might need. Including motorcycles for Aqualad, Tula, Superboy, and now Lily. "So do you want a lift or would you rather race there?"

He just gave a small shrug, "Might as well get a lift, if I don't I'll be waiting there for hours before you make it." I punched his arm. "Dude those punches are going to leqve a permanent bruises, I swear." He rubbed his arms playfully.

"Stop whining KF, and get on." I ordered and hopped onto the bike while handing him an extra helmet. "Don't be such a baby and hurrt up." I impatiently asked, me impatient. Wally was definitely influencing me.

"How am I supposed to hold on?" He asked looking for something, like handles, or a seatbelt, anything really. I just let a smirk cross across my lips.

"Just wrap your arms around my torso." He just stared at me. "Oh stop being a baby Kid Wuss. Trust me." I kicked the engine to life and as soon as I felt his hands wrap around my body I took off from the cave and towards the entrance and down the street towards the first stop sign where I let the engine purr looking back at my rider, he just looked at me bug eyed.

"Dude, slow it down, I don't want to die on this machine!" He cried out, and I just gave him my trademark cackle.

"Never thought I'd see the day where YOU want to go slower than the speed of sound." And before he could respond I was heading down the street and towards the highway that led downtown.

I loved that rush you get when you masterfully weave in and out of traffic. The air current hitting your body made it feel like you were flying, and when you turned, it was like you were trying to defy the works of gravity, in a sense you might have at the speed I was going. I just felt Wally's arms tighten around my chest as we rushed through the highway at gravity defying speeds, his head buried in my back. His brething even as we kept going, this wasn't anything new to him, but still he...well he giggled.

I pulled into one of the parking lots downtown and cut the engine. Wally got off and blinked a couple of times before removing his helmet, revealing that his usually messy red hair had become flat against his head. I couldn't help but laugh as he fixed it. "Man, I love running and all, but seriously that riocked! I should ask Uncle Berry for a motorcycle as a graduation present." He cried out as I hopped off the bike.

"Then, then we could watch as your Aunt beats the crap out of Barry before having a heart attack." Taking a moment to imagine the scene, I just chuckled.

"Yeah, oh well." He shrugged, "Dude, how can you stand being in a car when you can ride that!"

"Yeah I love riding. It's one of those things that are so totally aster." He groaned at my language. "I would ride everywhere if I was legal to get a license for a bike."

"Seriously? Aster, I thought we were passed this?" Wally whined again, ignoring the age thing.

"Passed what? Me being awesome? You will always be blinded by my awesome Wally, no matter what happens." I laughed taking off my helmet and putting on my sunglasses. "I'm glad you enjoyed the ride." I commented as I took his helmet and put it in one of the compartments on the bike.

"It was different, definitely. Just...you defy the laws of physics when you turn that thing, I swear we were so going to eat it a couple of times."

"I defy the laws of physics? You are aware that you can run faster than the speed of sound?" I shook my head as he just chuckled. We walked into the downtown area. It wasn't much, just a strip of stores, restaurants, and clubs for the residents and it was nothing compared to the downtown areas of Gotham or Central City, but it was enough for anyone that wanted to get away for a bit. It was still early evening as the sun was just getting ready to descend the horizon. Families were walking down the strip, going in for food or shopping before their weekend plans.

"Where do you wanna go? My treat." Wally asked as we joined the Happy Harbor residents downtown.

"You pay for food, I got the movie." I suggested, but I questioned his sanity as he shook is head no, and grinned.

"No, I am going to treat my best friend tonight, after all the times you've treated me, let me do something nice." He winked, and again a blush rose to the forefront of my cheeks. "Your ears are burning pink again." He pointed out, making me smack his arm.

"How do you have enough money to pay for me as well?" I asked, the sun was beginning to set and with his back against the sun, he really looked like he was glowing. His eyes were spectacular as they glistened in all of their emerald color, and I had to force myself to look away afraid of being caught gawking at my best friend.

"I got a job on the side. I work as a waiter at a restaurant. They love me, cause of a little extra speed." He winked and I couldn't help but grin, Wally as a waiter seemed to be slightly hilarious.

"You actually getting a job is shocking enough." I pushed him as we comtinued our search the place for some good food. There were some very upper class and family type places, but it just didn't fit our style.

"I like it though dude, let's me do something before college starts. Get a little money for college, and I get to meet lots of great people." I knew what he meant by meet lots of new people. It was the same thing on every typical hormonal teenager. Since Wally just graduated, and the finals for most underclassmen were just beginning our finals soon. I couldn't wait for summer to start, more missions, more bonding with the team, more time for patrol, but mostly, more Wally I thought in my head.

"You mean flirt with all the girls." I rolled my eyes as he just winked and grinned like a hormonal teenager...oh yeah he was.

"How else do you think I get twenty dollar tips." I shook my head again. Everyone knew how much of a flirt Wally was, even Artemis. She claimed that flirting is harmless, as longnas he didn't do it in front of her presence. I've even seen Artemis flirt with some of the guys at school.

"You sound like a male prostitute you know that?" I just looked at him confused, seriously. Male prostitute, good occupation for Wally. I'd pay for him...ok must get these thoughts out of my head.

"What?! How?" He was faking offense, I was worried that he was ok being called a prostituite.

"People are paying you for your services, and you flirt with them, and they pay you with a twenty dollar tip. Hence you are a male prostitute." I concluded and he just kind of lazily glare at me.

"Whatever, I'm just so handsome, all the girls want me." He struck a heroic pose, and I was tempted to push him into the fountain behind him. Eh, the temptation was too great as I pushed him, as he caught himself, only tipping over. I just laughed.

"Sure Wally, just keep whoring yourself out, and by the end of it, you could buy yourself a stripper pole." I patted his arm mockingly.

"Wouldn't you like that?" He winked, and I had to admit. It could be kind of...seductive.

"No. Get it for Artemis, you'd love that one." I commented and quickly his demeanor changed slightly. Why was he surprised when I mentioned Artemis?

"Yeah, right...Artemis." He grumbled. I quirked an eyebrow at him, as he looked away. He turned back to me, his mood moving faster than his feet."I think she'd kill me if I asked her for that."

"Yeah, I like you without arrows driven through your body."

"So do I" He shivered.

We finally picked a small restaurant near the theater and sat down privately in the back corner. The waitress was definitely eyeing up Wally as she sat us down, completely ignoring my presence. "So what can I get you cutie?" She sent Wally a flirtatious smile.

"Just an orange soda and raspberry lemonade gorgeous." Wally winked at her, making her giggle and walk away. I had my head buried in the menu. "Man it's good to be out of that cave! With Lumos and Lily added to the team it was getting a little packed." He stretched his arms above his head.

"I kind of like Lumos and Lily being around. They are interesting people." I said still looking at the menu, I was just testing the waters to see his reaction

"Lily, I like. She gets along well with everyone." He agreed. "Lumos is kind of a prick if you ask me. He's always messing with me, and whatever I have to say." This was true, unfortunately. Whenever Lumos came over, he made it his mission to mess with Kid Flash as much as possible. "He's annoying, and don't know why Batman keeps asking him for help."

"Batman sees that Lumos has potential and is testing him probably if he is capable of joining the team. Besides Lily is being taught by him, and he even saved Babs and I earlier today." He just scoffed at this.

"Oh come on, if he doesn't want to join then he should just leave. Saving us from utter destruction, but still doesn't want to join, that seems suspicious." I could tell Wally had a strong grudge against Lumos. I understand that Lumos seemed to make it his mission to undermine everything that Wally did.

The waitress came back over with our drinks, placing the raspberry lemonade in front of me and placed the orange soda in front of him. "So, sugar, what can I get you two to eat?" The question being directed towards Wally rather than me, again. The obvious flirtatious tone evident in her voice.

"Just get me the number two, chicken entree." I handed the menu back to her and looked out the window, trying to not listen to my best friend flirt with the waitress, as he ordered a good page of the menu to eat. Fast metabolism, makes him hungry. Always. If he didn't eat, his metabolism might end up eating his own muscle.

"Thanks beautiful." He charmed the girl before she walked away, swooning over Wally's remarks. I could tell when we left, the girl was going to leave her phone number on the check and it'll have a little heart somewhere on it telling Wally to call her. "Rob, what are you thinking about?" I heard him ask and was definitely not going to answer that question. I turned to look at him, after watching a cat rummage through the garbage, trying to find its own food.

"Nothing KF. Why suddenly interested in what I am thinking?" I questioned and he just shrugged.

"Can I ask you something?" I could tell this was on his mind as his fingers began to drum on the table, and he seemed to vibrate slightly.

"What are we playing twenty questions?" I cackled as he just gave me a serious look, "Shoot."

"Where have you been during the week? Usually you are all about the team, training, and bonding with everyone but for the past couple of weeks you've been notably absent in the beginning of the week." He gave me a hard stare. "We've all been curious where our little Boy Wonder has been doing."

I stopped and looked out the window again, wondering if I should tell him about Evan and Tim. About how I've been enjoying my time being Dick Grayson instead of donning on the facade of being Robin the Boy Wonder. Not that I didn't love kicking butt, just that I wanted to be something other than just Robin now. "I've been...babysitting with a friend I guess you could say." I could tell he was still staring at me, as I continued watching the sun setting.

"You? Babysitting? Isn't that supposed to be like Babs job?" I smirked at this.

"Don't be so sexist Wally." I messed with him, earning a smile. "I have been taking care of a ten year old with my friend. Timothy Drake, his mom died after being abducted and his dad is in a coma, so during the week I go hang out with him."

He looked at me surprised, and a soft smile crossed his lips. "Wow, never thought you'd be take on the role of an older brother." He laughed, "What makes him so great?" For some reason I was relieved to hear him take this so well. I knew Wally was a good guy, but when we were younger he would whine and complain if I didn't hang out with him at least once a week.

This began our discussion about Tim and how brilliant he was becoming. I told him about the way he seemed to learn just through sheer observation, reading a person and explaining what they would do next. We would sit there in the park eating ice cream, and as people walked by, he could create entire lives out of a person just by the way they walked, what they wore, or their posture. He could deduce things about people almost as well as Batman or I could. He was even trained in martial arts after his parents thought it'd be a good idea for him to be able to defend himself, and that was why every thursday through Saturday he was off with a trainer practicing.

"Dude! The kid sounds like a total badass!" He laughed as the food was being placed in front of us. This time it was a waiter, instead of the girl who brought out the feast for Kid Flash. I thanked whatever higher power gave me that refuge.

"He is a great kid." I smiled, and realized how proud of him I really was. Shoot, when did I become that older brother figure?

"How did you meet him?" He asked trying to talk around the food in his gullet. Was this a date? I couldn't help but wonder.

"Dude, don't talk with your mouthful." I snatched a potato skin from one of his many many plates and popped it into my mouth.

He swallowed the food before asking again, "You going to answer?" He took another giant bite out of a burger.

I looked around to make sure that no one could hear us and I told him, "He knew I was Robin." Kid almost choked on his food. Taking a gulp from his soda he looked at me like I was crazy.

"He knows WHAT now?! You told him?!" Quickly I had to explain to him what happened, making sure not to mention the part with Evan. "Whoa. I want to meet this kid. I mean looking back at it now, it's obvious, but to deduce it how he did, he could give you a run for your money."

"Heh, don't I know it. Bruce was even impressed." He almost choked again. "Jeezus, chew your food Kid Mouth!"

"The bossman didn't hang you when you told him?!" Again, that look of bug-eyed surprise.

"Nope, he seemed to enjoy the idea that a kid deduced our identity but reporters, the media, and even the specialist who probably are still working our our identities, still haven't figured it out." We both laughed at this fact.

"Dude, that's crazy though! He could be like the second Robin. Or maybe he would take on another name, like Blue Jay, or Sparrow, or Hawk. Or even maybe take after the bat like Batdude, Batguy? Whatever." He mused with the idea.

"He'd actually be the third Robin." I painfully said, remembering that dark time. Again, Wally looked at me like I said something crazy. "Don't get so overwhelmed KF."

"Overwhelmed?! Dude I just found out there was another Robin. Where is he? Have I met him? Is he another like secret son of Batman?" He questioned me.

"He died Wally." Again, the pain was evident in my voice and Wally's voice just changed into one of utter disbelief.

"I'm sorry Rob." He put his hand on my arm, consolingly. "What happened?" Wally West, the kid who was as clueless as Superboy when it came to emotions sometimes.

I sighed and again made sure no one was around. The sun had set already and the darkness seemed appropriate for the story. "It was a year after Batgirl joined Batman and I. She joined only a few weeks after the whole New Year incident we had to face, The Bat thought it would be wise to train another protege in case something happened to him, and for some unknown reason to me, he chose Babs. She was already a great acrobat and technological genius, so he put her through rigorous training to hone her skills. A year after that, I had responsibilities with the team, and couldn't be going patrol with Batman every night. I needed to be with the team, and people were beginning to wonder where I had gone too."

"I remember that," He added, "I heard people say you were killed or something. Never thought much of it since you were back in the cave."

"Right, but we couldn't have people think I was gone." I explained to him. The food was getting cold, and the waiters seemed to ignore us. "Criminals would begin to trust the night again without Batman's protege. So, one night he found a boy trying to take the wheels off the Batmobile. He was..." I had to ponder this, because of Jason's background he wasn't a bad kid. "Misguided I guess would be the right word. I think if I didn't have the circus I would have ended up like him..." My heart ached thinking about what would have happened to me if I didn't have Haly's circus or Bruce.

"I'm glad you didn't." Wally smiled cryptically.

"Yeah. Me either." I was shaken from my reverie. "His name was Jason Todd, his dad split, and his mom overdosed on heroin I believe. Bruce believed if he left Jason on the streets, he would get dragged into the criminal world. He was angry. He was misunderstood. He was just a kid." I let out a sigh. "After training him, it was evident he wasn't an acrobat, but he was a brawler. He could fight, and that was his greatest strength. His anger could be directed towards something useful, and he loved it. Babara would take care of him if Bruce was away on 'business' and whenever I could get away I would assist with training."

"So you knew him?"

"Yeah, he was..kind of like a little brother." I shrugged nonchalantly. I had to keep those emotions from overtaking me and in check. If it was one thing Batman made sure I could control in situations where I could stop and think it was my emotions. .

"What happened then?"

"Well, he was doing great as Robin. Barbara, though, warned us that whenever the two of us weren't around, she could sense this...darkness looming in his heart. Batman saw it nothing more than his sense of bringing down criminals, but I believed Babs and saw the way he would...go too far when it came to criminals." I remembered seeing him brutally beat a robber to the point of near death,when I stopped him he was crying and I found out, that the man looked almost like his father. "It was only three months after he was allowed to patrol, he found out that his mom wasn't his biological mother, and just like that he disappeared."

I paused to think about that horrible week, "I remembered the panic in Bruce's voice as he called me, asking if he might have contacted me. As Batman, he was cold and calculating, as Bruce though he was just a loving father to all three of us. Jason, Barbara, and I took center stage as his children. When I told him I hadn't I returned home to search the streets with Babs and Bruce to see if we could find him. After scooping in his room in the mansion, Barbara was able to hack into his e-mail and saw he bought a ticket to Ethiopia from an unknown credit card. We also found the emails he was sending between him and his mother."

"Where did he go?" Wally was hanging off each of my words, and I never really talked about this with anyone, but I guess it was time to...try and clear the weight on my shoulder

"Ethiopia, of course. His mom was working as a missionary there, and he contacted her, hoping to be reunited with her. They were reunited for a time..." I had to talk with a the lump in my throat. "He...was captured. Or, I guess given to The Joker by his own mother."

"What?! Dude...no. How could a mom do that? Thats just wrong." His voice was only above a whisper.

"Yeah. The Joker brutally beat Jason before activating a bomb in the warehouse they were in. He...he never made it. Even with all the training he couldn't get out of that warehouse and Batman...he was too late. We couldn't find a body...only traces of him." I took a sip of my lemonade and the sickly sour and sweet taste of it wasn't as satisfying as it should be. "It destroyed Bruce. He blamed himself saying that he should have been better trained, or should have gotten there faster." Bruce was destroyed when he found Jason's tattered uniform, even today it's kept in the Batcave as a memoriam to Jason. "That was why I left the team before Babs joined up. I had to make sure Batman didn't lose himself."

"Is that why Superman took over, and Supey was overly pissed because of this?" Wally questioned.

"Dude, really, don't bring Superboy into this. I'm trying hard to tell you this."

"Sorry..." He apologized. "I...I do remember when you left. That look on your face as you packed your things and went back to Gotham. All of us were worried about you Robin, and none of us had a clue." He told me.

"It was a rough time, but eventually things settled down." I played with my straw as we began eating again.

"I'm glad you are back with the team, it was sort of lonely without my best friend." He admitted, giving a small chuckle.

"Sort of lonely?" I asked him, smiling softly. Trying to get back to our usual friendly banter.

A small blush rose to his cheeks as he looked away. "Alright, so I missed my best friend." He mumbled and I couldn't help but laugh at his shyness. Wasn't like Wally. I saw Wally's face harden as he looked past me.

"Nice date you two are having." I turned around to see Lumos walking in with civilian clothes, in a domino mask. He wore a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans with a blue baseball cap. Lily came in with him in a pink blouse and jeans. "Evening." He nodded to the two of us.

"What are you doing out?" I asked him, Wally just going back to inhaling his food.

"Lily wanted to go out, so I took her around town. The girls couldn't take Lily to Gotham"

"Yeah, and he wouldn't let me, and now he won't even take off his stupid mask." Lily huffed as she stole one of Wally's fries. "I told him no one would recognize him." She chuckled at the way Wally glared at her for stealing his food

"Just better to play it safe." He shrugged as he leaned against our booth. "What about you guys? What brings you guys to Happy Harbor?"

"Just needed to get out." Wally answered bluntly.

"Thanks Kid Mouth, glad you could talk through all of that food." He smirked.

"What are you guys doing after this? Cause Lumos wants to go to this haunted house do-"

"Movies, just the two of us." Wally interrupted her, and we all just gave him a curious look. "I'm trying to have a night with my bro, do you guys mind?"

"Ooo, testy." Lily giggled before going back to her brothers side. "It's ok, Lumos needed to drop something off to Robin anyways."

"Here, it's the data you wanted." He handed me an envelope. "Since Batman was busy, I figured you were the next best choice. Batgirl would have peaked, besides I really did not want to go to some club in Gotham."

"Thanks, I'll make sure to give this to the boss." I replied and hid the envelope in my jacket.

"We'll let you two continue." He saluted as the two of them exited. I looked at Wally and he was still fuming.

"Bro, you have serious issues with Lumos." I said, going back to picking at the rest of my food.

"Because! He flirts with you! That is just not cool!" He finally admitted, and I just burst out laughing, trying not to choke.

"That is your problem with him?" I asked him. The waitress finally came over, trying to catch Wally's attention but to no avail. "God KF, it's not like your my mom or something."

"I don't..." He was struggling with the words. "It's not like I have a problem if you like guys. You'll always be my bro, but just. I don't like him, what kind of guy keeps his identity from his team?"

"One, you said he wasn't part of the team." He just scoffed with a, whatever. "Two, I did, for a few years. It's not like I had a choice, but we all have our reasons Wally."

"Still, just please tell me you don't have a thing for Lumos." I rolled my eyes behind my shades.

"I don't have a thing for Lumos." I sarcastically stated and he just smiled, happy that I at least said that I didn't have a thing for him..

"Good, besides anyone that wants to date you would have to go through Bruce." He laughed as I shivered at the thought of that. Oh how my adoptive father would kill anyone I wanted to date, as Robin or as Dick. "Anyways, what did he drop off?"

"Just data Batman wanted about his experience with Cadmus and whatever he could tell us about them. Also spcs on himself and Lily so we can get a better understanding of what exactly they can do." I shrugged taking the last bite out of my plate. "Batman needed to know how Lily would fit in and what role she would play."

"Cool." He simply said. "Anyways ready to go catch that movie? We have a good thirty minutes to make it to the theaters." He checked his watch, and raised his hand for the check. "Can we get the check please, beautiful." He asked the waitress.

"Sure sugar, just let me get that for you." She leaned over, her overly large breasts were practically in his face, as she collected the dishes and walked away humming.

"Jeezus, do these girls have no dignity?" I hissed watching the waitress go.

"Heh, relax Rob, she is just playing the game. Trying to get me to leave a good tip." He pulled out his wallet and a credit card.

"She was totally flirting with you!" I huffed annoyed.

"Maybe, but besides I'm taken." He winked, sending another blush to my cheeks. Obviously he was talking about Artemis, but hey I could imagine he might have been thinking about me. "And if you didn't wear those stupid sunglasses, I bet you would be getting hit on too."

"Whatever, I think the sun glasses are cool." I adjusted them and let them slide down my face and winked, making him laugh before putting them back on.

"Here you go hun." She said handing Wally the check. "Is there anything else I could get for you?"

"No thanks, unless my date wants anything. Rob?" He had a wicked smile on his face and I swear both the waitress and I had the same baffled expression.

"Uhh..." I was still trying to recover. "No thanks." I said and she took Wally's card and walked away. I stared at Wally wide-eyed, who was grinning like an idiot. "Your what now?"

"Hey I saw the way you looked at the waitress, and I am not going to have my best friend pissed off about things like that." He said as the waitress came back, handed Wally the check and quickly left. I couldn't help but smile at his consideration. "Come on, date." We both laughed as we walked out of the restaurant.

We walked to the theater next by we began to get into an argument on about what we were going to watch. "Dude I want to watch Chernobyl Diaries, we should just watch Avengers as a team."

"Come on, how funny is it that we are going to watch The Avengers? Superheroes watching Superheroes, the irony."

"But I want to be scared shitless."

"Those movies are so stupid, if you want to be scared shitless, try to go up against Scarecrow and his fear gas." I said. We were both just glaring at one another. "Coin flip," I said pulling out a quarter. "Heads Avengers, tails Chernobyl Diaries." I said about to flip the coin, but he snatched it before I could even flip.

"I'll do it, because you are a freakin cheater Boy Wonder." He said flipping the coin. Just because I've been known to pull stunts like that doesn't mean I was going to...ok I was but I wasn't going to tell Wally that.

The coin landed on his palm and I punched the air in triumphant. "Heads, I win Kid, let's go." I said dragging him by the hand to the cashier. "Two for Avengers." I told the guy behind the register. Wally just groaned at me.

"You guys are a cute couple." The guy winked as he placed the order. "Don't see many male-male relationships."

Both of us turned beat red, "We aren't dating." I informed him.

"Oh, don't be shy now, beautiful." I felt a hot breath against my ear as his lips kissed my cheek quickly. I must have turned as red as his hair.

The cashier just laughed, as did Wally. "It's sixteen dollars. Couples get a discount." He smiled and I could just hear Wally still laughing as his hands wrapped around my waist and his head on my shoulder. I leaned back against his strong body, and it was oddly comfortable.

"Well, pay the man oh my dear sweet Wallykins." I ordered. He handed over the money and the two of us just walked away.

"If you ever call me Wallykins, I swear this whole fake romance. Over Little Birdie." He said pushing me.

"I'm ok with that." I pushed him back as we entered the theaters.

_Roughly three hours later..._

"Dude, those freakin explosions, and when Hulk messed up Loki was so awesome." Wally excitedly chattered as we walked outside. "Do you think we could get Supey to act out that scene with someone?"

"You can go ahead and ask Conner if he will be willing to be painted green, and you can be the guy who gets thrashed by him." I offered.

"At least the temper issue he has down." We both laughed. "Seriously though, Captain America was so cool. What do you think of me with a shield? Think we could find one as indestructible as his?" He pondered.

"That shield must be heavy Wally, and I know you've been working out, but I am pretty certain you'd get yourself killed using that." I patted his shoulder consolingly. "The weight and momentum of that thing after being thrown would slice your head off."

"All right Mr. Expert, you must think Black Widow was the best then huh? Keeping to the shadows, spy, acrobat, freakin gorgeous. You would fit that description quite well." He teased me. Did he call me gorgeous?

"Heck yeah, you saw her, she was barely touched when facing anything but the hulk, remind me not to get on Conner's bad side by the way." I laughed, "We could agree on who Hawk-eye was in our group though." And we both laughed, we were getting way too many archery friends lately.

We walked down the road towards the beach and it was probably like 10 at night as we moved away from the city lights and down by the shore where no one was around. We began to talk about what we had been up to, about the job he took, his co-workers, his flirtatious behavior with the females, and then his choice of a university at Central University, where he was starting his freshman year as an engineer. "How are you and Artemis?" I asked as I took off my shoes and let the water run over my feet.

He just shrugged, "We are great. Though she is high-strung, and it seems like she never takes me seriously. I know that she is such an amazing person." He said as we walked.

"Yeah, I know. Artemis has always been such a great friend, even at school she always has my back." I smiled, being the two non-metahumans on the original team, Artemis and I became close like Brother and Sister. She was dating my best friend afterall.

"Heh, yeah especially when those jocks trying to mess with you. She told me how he had to save you from getting beat up." He chuckled.

"Hey, if Bruce would have let me, I would have been fine. But I'm Dick Grayson, not Robin at school." I sighed.

"Sure Boy Wonder. Other than that, what else is new in your life? We've been talking about my life, but you are still an enigma."

"Enigma, is a big word for you Kid." I teased him.

"Hey, future engineer, I'm entitled to my big words." He proudly said, making me chuckle and him following suit. "But other than Tim what else is new?"

"Hmm...like what? I go patrol with Batman, school, the team, and Tim. I don't have anything else." I shrugged.

"Oh come on, you must like someone from your school. Every guy has a crush." He started poking me to get me to talk. See anyone else it would have been a poke or two every second, but when your best friend is a stubborn speedster he can get in ten pokes within one second. So in ten seconds my patience was diminished to the size of one of Flashes vibrating atoms. "Come on!"

"Gah! I swear Wally! You are so annoying!" I finally said, kicking water at him.

"Part of my charm." He winked. "Soooo are you going to tell me?!"

"There is someone." I grimaced, hoping that I wouldn't regret telling him. I told him everything else that was going on.

"I knew it!" He laughed. "Who is she? Or maybe a he?" He nudged me with his elbow.

"His name is Evan, a friend who has helped me after I met Tim." I begrudgingly said, and explained how I became close to him in school, tutoring him, and then hanging with Tim.

"Huh, sounds like a cool guy." Was all he said after an eternity of silence. "I should meet him."

"You will, I invited him and Tim to that gala that Bruce is having. He is going to show up as Tim's guardian." He nodded as if accepting this, and once again that awkward air took over us.

"Come on." He grabbed my hand as he dragged me away from the water and up the shore to dry part of the beach. I guess he wasn't so in control of himself cause he went to fast as he sat down, dragging me on top of him, my glasses falling off my face and onto the sand next to him. Looking up His emerald eyes were reflecting the moonlight and once again I was lost in the sheer brilliance of them. "Heh, there is the Dick I know." He said and I felt his hand run through my hair.

"You used my actual name." I stated, as neither of us moved. Wally's hand just softly running through my hair. And once again that blush rose and a small smile plastered itself on my face.

"When you have those glasses on, or that mask, you are Robin, but when that comes off and I can actually see your eyes, you are Richard Grayson." He smiled again, and it was softer this time, loving even as his hand was on the lower half of my back. "I like it better when I can see your eyes."

"Wally..." We're getting dangerously close to something he probably shouldn't be doing. Neither of us should be doing this.

"Don't. I know what I'm doing, I know the repercussions, and I don't care. I'm sorry for what I said when you recovered and that...kiss. It's just this is all so confusing." He looked away and I could tell there was an inner war going on within him. "I just don't want to think about it." I watched as he pressed his forehead against mine, and emerald eyes met sapphire ones and I just smiled.

"Yeah thinking is a little too much for you." I said.

"Right. I'm impulsive, so let me be." He said before closing the gap and our lips touching. His lips were warm against mine as they connected, and the robins in my stomach fluttered as he did, rolling me over so he was on top, taking control. Just through the kiss I could tell it was desperate and confusing for him, as he moved against me. His hand still in my hair as he kissed me. "Heh, that is new." He teased as he moved his hand to my chest.

I rolled my eyes, "Really going to comment on the lack of my chest?"

"More like the firmness of it." He chuckled burying his head in my neck that it made me shiver. His warm breath inhaling my scent as I buried my face in his hair.

"Wally what does this mean? I mean...about us?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"Does it have to mean anything? Its...just something. Your my best friend." He grumbled into my neck, and the vibrations sort of tickled. "Dude, just don't think about what it means. Just let it go." He rolled onto his back and grabbed my hand. And instead of just questioning everything, what it could mean in the future, and everything else, I decided to just let it go. "Dude, your so cold." He laughed as he rubbed circles using his thumb.

"You're body heat is above normal. You are the freak that is just overly hot." We both laughed again and I looked up at the stars. "You know, I am still able to name all of the constellations even though it's been seven years since I've watched the stars with my mom."

"You like stargazing? I never knew that." I heard him say, I was still lost in all of those tiny little lights in the sky.

"It's a hobby of mine I guess. Bruce used to take me on the weekends, but the best times were with my mom. I barely talk about my life before Robin, so I understand why you wouldn't know."

"Dude, after years of knowing you, I always feel like I have so much more to learn about you.." I just chuckled. "Where is...O'rion?"

"Wait till the middle of the day, then I can show you O'rion." I smirked.

"You can't see stars in the day."

"Good job Kid Genius." I laughed as he frowned. "The constellations are different during the summer and winter. O'rion is a winter constellation and since we are entering summer soon, I kind of can't show you that one." I looked up at the stars and noticed a constellation, "That though is Sagittarius, the Archer."

"Again with these Archer's." He shook his head.

We were quiet again, and still I was looking out over at the stars, and closed my eyes remembering my mom and how she would begin to tell me stories about the constellations. The wonder and awe I had for these icons sitting in the sky. It was funny, because even though it's been years, I can still picture my mom, her arms folding around me as we both watched the skies. "Do you ever miss your life in the circus?" Wally seemed like he read my mind.

"Sometimes I do." I looked over at him, and he turned to get a better look, sand definitely getting in our hair. "I miss everyone from Haly's Circus, they were my family. They still are, I grew up with all of them, and that mission with the rest of the team made me realize though that I can always go back if I wanted to."

"Still pissed you didn't let me come with you on that mission."

I just smiled and laid back down, "You know why I couldn't ask you." I sighed, and could feel his hand in mine. "But if I had to choose. No, I don't miss the circus. Of course I miss my parents, but here in the costume, I get to help people. I actually have a chance to do some good in the world. The circus was great, and my life would be different without it, but my life here, that's something I'd never give up." Turning my head, Wally was still watching me. "Plus I got an awesome best friend." He grinned.

"Good, I'm glad." He comfortably said before we continued staring up at the stars.

This is what I missed about hanging with Wally. There were no awkward silences, we were able to just lay here and look at the stars. It was a feeling I loved to do, and the only feeling I ever got when I was with my mom, or when Bruce watched stars with me. It was like I was home.

We laid there for a good hour, the two of us joked around, and goofed off like we were thirteen again, before heading back to the cave. Wally, once again wanted to ride with me, which I happily obliged, there was so little traffic I was able to kick it into high-gear which made him want to race me to the cave, jumping off the bike and running. He won, of course.

The cave was empty besides the guys, since the girls were out, most likely in Gotham with Zatanna and Raquel who joined them on their Girls Night. Lily was staying with Lumos for the night. The two of us ended up in my room, playing video games late into the night. At three in the morning Wally was so exhausted he jumped into my bed. "Why is it your bed so much more comfortable than mine?" He commented wrapping himself in my blankets.

"Why are you in my bed?" I turned off the xbox and stared at his body underneath the sheets. "Go to your own room."

"No."

"Wally."

"Shut up, and let me sleep." He whined, going further into the blankets. "Besides I paid for dinner doesn't that require you to sleep with me?" his emerald eyes peeked up from underneath those blankets.

"Pft, not that easy Kid Pervert." I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, let me stay." He begged and I just sighed conceding.

"Fine." I said taking off my shirt and changing into gym shorts. Wally watched, blushing. "I sleep in nothing but gym shorts."

"Heh, so do I." I disappeared in a second and showed back with just his gym shorts on, back on my bed.

"You can move that fast to change, but not to go into your own bed. Smooth KF." I took off my sunglasses and put them on my nightstand. Hopping into my overly sized bed I buried myself into the sheets, Wally still sitting on the other side.

"You are kinda cute Robin." I heard him say as the bed dipped with his weight as he laid down. The sheets rustling as he got comfortable. He placed his head on the other pillow and his emerald eyes were watching me.

"Is this weird? That we are doing this?" I voiced my concerns.

"The girls won't be getting home till tomorrow. Their sleeping at Artemis's apartment, her mom already said it would be nice to have more children around the house. So if you are worried we can get caught. Don't be." He smiled and, his hand was going through my hair again.

"I meant more the fact we are best friends, sleeping practically naked in the same bed. That is more of my worry." I said, loving the feeling of his hand running through my hair.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist and bring me in closer. His bare skin touching mine was a little unbearable as his warmth engulfed me. "Heh, don't think about it Dick. I'll always be here as your best friend." He rubbed my back soothingly and our legs intertwined with one another.

After a silence, "You are like a furnace Wally." I kicked the blankets off of me, getting too hot.

"I'm just hot." He flirted and I punched his chest.

"Just go to sleep." I closed my eyes letting myself deeper into his chest. I knew this might have been wrong, especially for our friend Artemis, but I just couldn't help wanting this feeling to last. Evan was a sweet guy, but he wasn't Wally.

I fell asleep to the soft, rhythmic breathing of Wally.

* * *

A/N: Ok, so the chapter I had written was one that showed off Lumos more. His abilities and a little more about his past. I'll use the idea later on so I won't spoil it, but I revealed how he escaped from Cadmus and a little bit more Lily and her abilities. But when I thought about it, I really did not want to reveal this quite yet, and it didn't fit in with what I had next chapter. The "alternate" chapter also involved more Speedy related incidents and his deterioration as an Archer. Instead I decided on what you just read. A chapter dedicated to the young Wally and Dick. I hope I picked the right choice. Please, let me know what you think of this chapter though! I love hearing your input, Review please!


End file.
